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Two factors immediately strike viewers of Susan Seubert’s new photography exhibition, Fragile Beauty: color and scale.
In her contemporary pigmented prints, Seubert showcases vivid hues found in the Arctic and Antarctic Circles, from the verdant greens of ocean water in a fjord near Greenland to the piercing blues of a glacier in Antarctica contrasted against darker, stormier sky blues.
Seubert, whose photography also features in the Portland Art Museum’s new Monet exhibition, shows a new collection of iceberg photos at PDX Contemporary Art. Alongside ultra modern-looking color photos, Seubert also made a collection of retro-looking ambrotypes. Fragile Beauty, which opens Wednesday, March 5, and runs through March 29, is part of the United Nations General Assembly and its Environmental, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s programming for the inaugural World Day for Glaciers on March 21.
The Portland photographer shoots frequently for National Geographic, which has documented Antarctica for nearly 140 years. Her ambrotypes differ from early images shot by explorers like Herbert Ponting, whose photos depict massive blocks of ice that dwarfed humans and the sailing ships they needed to get there. Instead, Seubert’s icebergs are clearly worn down by time and the elements, appearing far more delicate than the titanic formations found a century and a half ago. Seubert began documenting icebergs, glaciers and ice sheets in 2014. PDX Contemporary Art’s press release notes that several of the icebergs she shot have since melted. Seubert told WW via email that UNESCO’s highlighting of Fragile Beauty was “a stunning coincidence.”
“It gives me a sense of hope to be part of a wider community outside of the U.S. at the moment, as science is under siege by the current regime,” she said. “I also feel like this is an opportunity to amplify in our community and beyond that just because our government is not supporting science for climate research, it is still happening on a global scale. We are not going to suddenly stop working for climate justice and education. We will persist regardless of a top-down attack on scientific facts.”
UNESCO highlights Fragile Beauty for the U.N.’s World Water Day and World Glacier Day programming March 21–22. Along with the opening reception in Portland on Saturday, March 8, Seubert will host “Frozen Narratives,” an UNESCO webinar on art, science and ice with Dr. M Jackson.
“Whether you’re a writer, photographer, scientist, or storytelling enthusiast, this event invites you to reflect on the past, present, and future of our relationship with ice through the lens of powerful storytelling,” reads UNESCO’s statement on the webinar.
SEE IT: Fragile Beauty by Susan Seubert at PDX Contemporary Art, 1881 NW Vaughn St., 503-222-0063, pdxcontemporaryart.com. 3 pm Saturday, March 8. Free.