South Pole :: Xavier Cortada

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Art in ANTARCTICA: Miami artist Xavier Cortada, a National Science Foundation (NSF) Antarctic Artists and Writers Program recipient, traveled to Antarctica during December 2006 - January 2007 to create new works and implement various art projects (see below).
http://www.cortada.com/antarctica
The Longitudinal Installation: Cortada placed 24 shoes in a circle around the South Pole, each serving as a proxy for a person affected by global climate change in the world above. He placed the shoes inches apart along the respective longitudes where these individuals live, conceptually diminishing the distance between them. Please click on the image to read their statements across 24 time zones.
Endangered World: Cortada planted 24 flags around the South Pole to warn of the imminent threat to Earth's biodiversity. Using melted sea ice and acrylic paint, he wrote the scientific name of an endangered species on each flag, as well as the longitude of the habitat in which it struggles for survival. Please click on image to read Cortada's list of the 24 endangered animals.
The Markers: Cortada planted 51different colored flags on the moving ice sheet that covers the South Pole, each 10 meters apart and marking where the South Pole stood during each of the past 50 years (when humans first inhabited the South Pole). Each flag also displayed the coordinates of the location on the world above where an important event that took place during that year. Please click on image to read the list of historic events that have moved the world forward during the past five decades.
The 150,000-year Journey: Cortada planted an ice replica of a mangrove seedling on the moving ice sheet that blankets the South Pole. Embedded in the ice, the seedling will move 10 meters a year in the direction of the Weddell Sea, 1400 km away. In 150,000 years, the seedling will arrive at the coastline and theoretically set its roots.
Antarctic Mural and Painting: During his artist's residency, Xavier Cortada created art honoring Antarctic explorers and scientists. Researchers in Antarctica develop knowledge that is of great importance to our scientific and human advancement. Their work proves how relevant the continent is to our daily lives. The pieces were created for and remain on permanent exhibit in Antarctica.