Exhibition reveals the secrets of Antarctica

Landscapes of Exploration is being held in the Peninsula Arts Gallery – within the University’s Roland Levinsky Building – and draws together for the first time the works of 10 visual artists, one musician and three writers who undertook residencies in the Antarctic between 2001 and 2009. They were all working alongside scientists based on the continent under the auspices of the British Antarctic Survey, in a project funded by Arts Council England. The resulting images give a fascinating insight into how art and science can work together, and into the effects human activities are having on the planet's last remaining wilderness. They will go on show to the public for seven weeks from February 11, providing a stunning glimpse into a world few of us will ever get to see with our own eyes. Liz Wells, Professor in Photographic Culture within the University’s Faculty of Arts, has been instrumental in setting up the exhibition. She said: “I was showing one of the artists, Neville Gabie, around the gallery, and he remarked that although 14 artists and writers had undertaken residencies in the Antarctic under the auspices of the British Antarctic Survey artists and writers programme, he had not seen anyone else’s work. “It occurred to me that, if this was the case for him and for other artists and, indeed, for audiences, then, as no doubt someone in Hollywood would put it, we had our Scott 100 show.