Arctic Emergence (The Architecture of the Arctic)
The Arctic—the nexus of dialogue, around and about an isolated yet visible locale seemingly dying in response to humanity's naive and consumptive dissoluteness. But this media frenzy may or may not be a sincere perspective, one that disregards altogether a propensity for emergence. It is fact the polar ice caps are melting—clearly we have thought unwisely in aligning ourselves in a contextual relevance as separate from nature. However, we are part of an ever-evolving structure and simply are part of the system.
I am uncovering the scope of this emergence be it artistic, scientific or lying beyond the Modern dichotomy. I am connecting myself further to the current Arctic scientific research in the archipelago of Svalbard while based at an art residency in Longyearbyen. I will be collecting information in the form of images, sound and conversations during the winter of 2009 and summer of 2010. I am mapping the emergence.
I know little truly beyond this area than the Norwegian familiarity. That psyché, the endurable, near-symbiotic relationship with environmental extremes, resonates with my perceived genetic memory. As territory of an once-impoverished and remote state, Svalbard has found its way to current contemporary art dialogue, daily NPR programming and even my home office as I watch the sun rise and fall in Longyearbyen through a 24-hour webcam. Are we watching it melt? Are we placing ourselves in the context of an oncoming/ongoing event? Could I be an event?