I see climate change as similar to the way an illness takes hold of your body. It starts silently, unnoticed. By the time it’s evident, the entire ecosystem is in a cytokine storm almost impossible to control.
Perhaps it starts underground after years and years of droughts draining the life out of the soil, much like in Australia. Or maybe the changing winds and warmer currents rot away at the very core of the Antarctic glaciers.
On February 6, 2020, weather stations at the Esperanza Base on the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula recorded 18.3°C (64.9°F), the hottest temperature on record for Antarctica. The warm weather caused widespread melting on nearby glaciers.
I imagine all the tiny snowflakes that built the Antarctic masterpiece over many lifetimes and all the life that depends on it. With the loss of sea ice, we face mass extinctions of wildlife and sea-level rise, which will ripple all across the globe.
This exhibition is outdoors. Please check what COVID-19 restrictions are in place before you visit.
Michaela Skovranova is an Australia-based artist working in photography and film. Michaela’s work focuses on capturing intimate environmental and human stories – from documenting coral reefs and Great Barrier Reef restoration for National Geographic, The Great Australian Bight for Greenpeace and the aftermath of Australian Bushfires for TIME Magazine.
On World Ocean’s Day 2018, she completed the first Facebook live underwater video in Australia as part of a National Geographic Australia campaign about plastic in marine ecosystems. Her latest short film, End of the World, premiered at TEDx Sydney 2020 and speaks to the devastating impacts of climate change in Antarctica.
She has featured in various documentaries and campaigns, including Curiosity Stream’s latest series Nature Through Her Eyes (2021). Michaela is a National Geographic expert and Olympus visionary.
Kickstart our month-long festival of the arts with music, photography, and community on the shores of the dazzling Bondi Beach. Be the first to know who won the 2024 Head On Photo Awards and get a taste of the photographs redefining visual storytelling.
Enthralling. Enchanting. Extraordinary. Discover exceptional photography for free around Sydney during the festival 8 Nov–1 Dec 2024