From space, the Arctic may look like an icy desert, but the truth is, it’s full of life. Unique and beautiful creatures like polar bears, arctic foxes, snowy owls, walruses, harp seals, and blue whales call this frozen ecosystem home. All of this diverse life is dependent on the same thing: sea ice. Arctic sea ice is our planet’s air conditioning system and has been regulating our climate for millions of years. But the Arctic is changing. The temperature is rising there faster than any other place on Earth. Water is becoming too acidic, ice levels have reached record lows, and surface temperatures continue to rise. Awareness and conservation are critical if we are to preserve this polar ecosystem, and the Elysium Artists for the Arctic expedition scheduled for August 2015 will do just this.
Image credit: Michael Aw
Elysium Artists for the Arctic is one of the most exciting, innovative, and inspirational journeys embarked upon in the last hundred years. This expedition will change the way people all over the world see and understand the Arctic, an enlightenment that will hopefully catalyze a much-needed paradigm shift away from indifference and into action to protect the Arctic.
The sixty-person, Elysium expedition team consists of some of the world’s most well-known and respected photographers, videographers, explorers, artists, and scientists including Dr. Slyvia Earle, David Doubilet, Ernie Brooks, Amos Nachoum, Cabell Davis PhD, Wyland, Michael Aw, Susan Eaton, and Leandro Blanco, just to name a few. Elysium Artists for the Arctic will utilize the expertise of this first class team to create a multi-faceted interpretation of the Arctic in order to inspire greater appreciation, understanding, and love for this critically important region of our planet, while drawing attention to the impacts of climate change. This icy ecosystem is regarded as one of the most enchanting wilderness regions of our planet, yet volatile and under severe threat from the warming of the world’s climate. This production promises the most awe-inspiring and stunning visual representation ever seen of the Arctic. The sights, sounds, and science captured by the Elysium Artists team will inspire ways to preserve and protect life at the top of the world through art, education, and outreach (http://www.elysiumepic.org).
This expedition is part of Ocean Geographic Society’s mission to promote and support marine conservation efforts (www.ogsociety.org.). For questions about the Elysium Arctic project, please contact Assistant Project Manager Alex Rose at www.ogsociety.org
