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Part 1: The Epic BeginsPosted: Friday, August 28, 2015
The elite team of leading ocean-focused and environmentally minded photographers, artists and scientists includes Dr. Sylvia Earle (marine science expert), David Doubilet (photographer), Jennifer Hayes (artist), Ernie Brooks (photographer), Wyland (artist), Michael AW (photographer), Göran Ehlmé (photographer), Howard Shaw (filmmaker), Emory Kristof (photographer), Stuart Ireland (photographer) and Leandro Blanco (filmmaker). Their mission is to raise awareness of the fragility of the region by documenting stunning visual interpretations of the flora, fauna and landscapes of the Arctic and gathering scientific research that confirms the high risk to the region. Together, the team’s goal is to make a global call for a change in attitude toward our oceans. The expedition will launch on 29th August, 2015 from Longyearbyen, Norway, and will travel a route that brings them into the high Arctic, visiting North Spitsbergen, North and East Greenland and Iceland. Besides panoramas of glaciers, icebergs and snowy mountains, the team will also capture images of polar bears, walruses, belugas, narwhals, arctic fox, auks, snowy owls, muskox, arctic hares and fin and blue whales. Elysium Artists for the Arctic’s mission is to unite arts and science to create a comprehensive and compelling artistic and scientific portrait of the Arctic to reveal the region’s beauty and its current at-risk ecological status. The expedition will illustrate the plight of this region, inspiring the world to take action to combat climate change. In addition, the expedition will yield vital benchmark data about the current and future effects of Arctic warming. The Expedition will execute a systematic global awareness campaign that increases public and government understanding of the impact of climate change and ocean change in the Arctic region, and how changes in our oceans have a significant impact on global warming. The Elysium team will create a range of compelling visual stories, including traveling exhibits, events, a documentary film, a one-of-a-kind commemorative photography book and other media to raise awareness of the issue globally. During the expedition, the team will share real-time updates via daily Facebook and blog posts (including here on the Oceanscape Network). Many species of Arctic animals have trouble keeping themselves fed as changes to the Arctic region limit their ability to feed due to sea ice loss and its impact on the entire food chain. The expedition goal is to encourage people and governments to act now to prevent further irreparable damage to the region, and our planet. |