Beth Derbyshire
Artist
Beth Derbyshire joined Cape Farewell on the 2007 Art/Science Expedition. Taking almost three weeks, the expedition crossed the north Atlantic to the extreme frontline of climate change, then sailed south to explore East Greenland's Blosseville Coast.
Beth's work is inspired by drawing, dance/contact, communication and information systems. Through their creation and installation the work seeks to explore what it means to be an individual in a world where we, and our surroundings, are frequently categorised and classified.
She is currently developing the project Anthem, a trilogy of musical films, which explore, dissect and offer different concepts of 'nation'. It is a truly epic project, expressing contemporary ideas about citizenship and nationality and investigating themes of human migration and borders. The final part of the trilogy was shot during Cape Farewell's 2007 Greenland expedition.
Anthem premieres at the Eden Project on Saturday 14 Nov 2009, opening the Winter Season of the Cape Farewell | Eden Project collaboration. Derbyshire's video trilogy will be accompanied by vocal ensemble, Stile Antico and presented in the Mediterranean Biome. Stunning imagery from the Arctic, Newfoundland and the UK, together with haunting sounds from composer, Ulrike Haage's musical score, will fill the Biome as winter draws in. Find out more ›
"We are on the thirteenth day of our expedition. I have been unable to communicate until now as all has been moving both literally and metaphorically. As we make slow progress south along the barren Greenland coast it seems possible to gather together some thoughts...
The arctic is the most sensitive place on the planet to measure climate change as it is made largely of ice. As we started our voyage out of Svalbard we stopped in a moraine strewn Fjord which should have been covered in ice and snow. The mountains newly exposed by the melt ironically looked like rusting wrecks. The ice-burgs that surround the ship carcasses of their former glory. We endured nine days at sea as the ice had locked and shut Greenland. It shouldn’t be here now, it should be much further north. Our turbulent journey around the ice to get into Greenland in itself a chilling illustration of the advance of climate change..."
Read Beth's full blog post from 4 Oct 2007 ›
Latest News
RPS Awards Shortlist
Tim Sutton’s Unplugged, Winning the Clay has been shortlisted for an RPS Award
Carbon 12 Exhibition
Save the Date: Cape Farewell's Carbon 12 exhibition opens on 3 May in Paris. It's an exciting mix of art commissions, with the artists working in close relationship with scientists. The exhibition runs 4 May - 16 September 2012 at the Espace Foundation EDF. Find out more ›
Poetry by Nick Drake
Acclaimed author and Cape Farwell voyagers Nick Drake, launches his new collection of poetry, The Farewell Glacier. The poems grew out of his journey to the Arctic.
Nature Journal
David Buckland's feature article 'Climate is Culture' has been published in the March issue of Nature Climate Change. Read about how Cape Farewell's approach has relevance to the discussion about our future.
Goodbye Arctic by Marina Moskvina
Russian novelist Marina Moskvina has just published her book on the 2010 Arctic Expedition with Cape Farewell. Illustrated by Leonid Tishkov, the book captures the voyage and questions the future of the Arctic.
Without Boats, Dreams Dry Up
An exhibition of 20 emerging artists and designers who have participated in Cape Farewell's SHORTCOURSE / UK; a 3-day urban expedition in London. Exhibition runs 24 Feb to 29 March.
U-n-f-o-l-d in Liverpool
Our exquisite exhibition U-n-f-o-l-d is back in the UK and opens on 8 March at John Moores University in Liverpool. If you miss the opening, come to the closing event on 24 April, which starts off the next SHORTCOURSE/UK expedition. Find out more ›
Reality of Change
On 15 March, together with TckTckTck and the UK Youth Climate Coalition, Cape Farewell invites you to a ‘Reality of Change’ evening at the Dana Centre, with architect Sunand Prasad, campaigner Martin Kirk and others who will present and discuss ideas around (climate) change.
Beth Derbyshire 2007
"As I watch the scientists take the temperature of the Gulf Stream with surprising and shocking results I am aware that in the same moment that I am both experiencing the absolute beauty of this region and witnessing it disassemble before my eyes."
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