Antarctic Traces Revisited
A voice glides along the desolate territory of South Georgia, a British island lost in the Atlantic Ocean, off the silent, nearby continent of Antarctica. Far beyond the imaginary that surrounds these sprawling white, mysterious lands, we are reminded that this was the site of the murderous whaling industry whose ruins still litter the rocky shores.
Don't miss out the opening on September 2, 6 p.m., followed by a musical performance at 7 p.m.
Austrian multidisciplinary artist Michaela Grill introduces an open dialogue between creation and investigation. In her medium-length documentary Antarctic Traces (2019), we are struck by the stark contrast between the devastating impacts of seal hunting and whaling and the captivating beauty of the images. The vivid depiction of these landscapes clashes with the archived images, maps, films, and photographs that bear witness to how animals and nature have been exploited on the territory. Humans continue to claim ownership not only of this land but also of its resources and the living beings who call it home. The outcome is a story caught between violence against—and admiration for—these magnificent mammals, now perished, and at the silent stretches of land that welcomed their remains.
Michaela Grill
Michaela Grill is an Austrian artist and filmmaker based in Montreal. She studied in Vienna, Glasgow and London (Goldsmith College). Since 1999, she has made various film and video works, installations and live visuals. Her work has been exhibited internationally in several institutions, including the MoMA (New York), the National Gallery of Art (Washington), the Centre Pompidou (Paris), the Museo Reina Sofia (Madrid), La Casa Encendida (Barcelona), the ICA (London), and screened in numerous cinematheques. Her videos were showed at over 150 festivals worldwide. She is the recipient of the Outstanding Artist Award of the Austrian Ministry of Art & Culture (2010).
