Miami artist Xavier Cortada, a recipient of the 2006-2007 National Science Foundation's Antarctic Artists and Writers Program, traveled to Antarctica during December 28, 2006 - January 12, 2007 to implement various art projects.

Cortada planted 51 flags --and an ice replica of a mangrove seedling-- on a moving glacier to mark the passage of time; created a collaborative mural with scientists who work there; painted a portrait of Sir Ernest Shackleton for the South Pole (permanently placing the famed explorer in the place that eluded him in life); and placed flags for endangered animals from each time zone around the South Pole. Cortada also used 12 pairs of black shoes to create an installation at the South Pole expressing the environmental concerns of people living in the world above

The purpose of the NSF Antarctic Artists and Writers Program is to enable serious writings and works of art that exemplify the Antarctic heritage of humankind. In particular, the program seeks to increase public understanding of the Antarctic region, including the continent and the surrounding oceans, as well as the associated research and education endeavors.

Through his fellowship in Antarctica, Cortada strived to create art in Antarctica to demonstrate how interconnected we as people are to each other and to our planet. As such, the artist's explorations included environmental concerns and how time passes through us. He created site-specific installations, sketched, and painted, photographed and videotaped, as well as conducted interviews and documented scientist's work in Antarctica.


Art in Antarctica involved the creation, installation and documentation of several site-specific series of projects in the McMurdo Station and South Pole Amundsen-Scott Station, including:

The 150,000-year Journey,
The Markers,
The Longitudinal Installation,
Endangered World
Antarctic Mural Project, and the
Ice Paintings

Composer and sound-artist Juan Carlos Espinosa will accompany the artist to assist with the mural/installations at the stations, set-up and document the conceptual art pieces, and create a musical pieces using the recorded samplings of sound from all processes. Dr. Espinosa's music, along with Cortada's digital video, photographs, sketches, and writings will be displayed at the project exhibit.