Gallery: Arctic journey

by WSM staff

Writer and Washington State University Regents professor of English Debbie Lee traveled to Svalbard in the Arctic aboard the tall ship Antigua, as part of the Arctic Circle Artist Residency Program. Follow the journey through Lee’s photographs below, and read her essay, “Arctic chronicles,” in the Spring 2019 issue.

The tall ship Antigua near Svarlbard for Arctic Circle Artist Residency. Photo Debbie Lee — “Caroline and I are on board the Antigua, a traditionally rigged tall ship specially outfitted for sailing in the high Arctic, including a modern diesel engine. We’re part of the Arctic Circle Artist Residency—thirty artists from every part of the world sailing the west coast of Svalbard toward the North Pole while working on individual and collaborative projects. Caroline, a glass sculptor, and I, a writer, have teamed up. I’ve been keeping track of her throughout the voyage, asking questions, making notes.”

Tall ship Antigua in a fjord near Svalbard. Photo Debbie Lee — “We’re moored in front of another glacier, Fjortende Julibukta, in a fjord choked with ice.”

Small boat exploring the Arctic ice near Svalbard. Photo Debbie Lee — “Before embarking on the Antigua, I learned about the climate archives scientists are creating from ice in Svalbard. Drilling hundreds of meters into glaciers in the north, glaciologists from the Norwegian Polar Institute have extracted ice cores. By analyzing the air bubbles in those cores, they can “read” historical atmospheres.”

Group of people from tall ship Antigua on rocky shore. Photo Debbie Lee — Artists explore the Arctic shores on Svalbard.

Standing on rocky shore of Svalbard, person looks at a glacier. Photo Debbie Lee — “This time of year, there is only six hours of daylight, but morning twilight purpling the horizon is so soft and dreamy it makes light seem unnecessary.”

Holding a chunk of ice. Photo Debbie Lee — “Ice archives, in fact, are some of the most important tools we have for figuring out climate trends.”

Holding a chunk of ice. Photo Debbie Lee — “‘I love this one, it’s so clear and beautiful,’ Caroline says, holding a football-sized piece of ice that looks like a chunk of glass.”

Polar bear on shore of Svalbard. Photo Debbie Lee — Polar bear on shore of Svalbard

Rocks on Svalbard. Photo Debbie Lee — “We’re anchored at Farmbukta near the top of the Svalbard archipelago. I’m on deck marveling at the haystack-like rocks, dusted in snow, rising from the sea.”

Artist Caroline Landau prepares molds glass replicas near Svalbard. Photo Debbie Lee. — Artist Caroline Landau prepares molds for ice archive glass replicas.

Tall ship near Svalbard. Photo Debbie Lee — The tall ship Antigua moored off Svalbard

Arctic landscape near Svalbard with ice and mountains. Photo Debbie Lee — The Arctic landscape near Svalbard