Polar Exhibition in Guangzhou

Børge Ousland has been referred to as «the foremost polar explorer of our time» by National Geographic and has undertaken several challenging solo and group expeditions in the Arctic and Antarctic.

 

On the opening night of the multimedia exhibition «As far as you can go – a journey to the North and South Poles with Norwegian explorers» at Redtory Art District in Guangzhou, he presented some of his adventures and encounters during these trips. 

«As far as you can go» exhibited many of Ousland’s best pictures and movie clips. At the same time it paid attention to the fact that 2011 marks a 100 year anniversary of the very first arrival at the South Pole – in 1911 the Norwegian Roald Amundsen and his team reached the South Pole on December 14th.

 

This year it is also 150 years since Fridtjof Nansen – another important Norwegian polar explorer – was born. In Norway 2011 is celebrated as the Nansen-Amundsen Year, and many events honouring these two pioneers will take place in Norway and internationally throughout the year. ‘As far as you can go’ exhibited some of Nansen and Amundsen’s own expedition pictures and movie footage.

 

These experiences from the polar areas 100 years apart served to highlight the importance of climate changes, ice melting and ecosystem changes in the Arctic and Antarctic. Both Ousland’s presentation and the exhibition illustrated some of the effects of global warming on the vulnerable ice landscapes.

At the «As far as you can go» exhibition the guests had the opportunity to cool down from the 30 degree outdoor temperature in a 15 degrees below zero ice room labeled «The North Pole». The ice room could accommodate 3-4 guests at the time, and was decorated with real snow, a polar bear ice sculpture and an ice bar. On the walls of the main exhibition room, guests could also observe the movements of Northern lights.

 

The exhibition is organized by the Norwegian Consulate General in Guangzhou.

 

See more pictures on the embassy's website.