Mixed-media group takes Antarctic refresher

A poet, a painter, a jeweller and a furniture maker are the 2004/05 Antarctic Arts Fellows who will travel to Antarctica early in December through Antarctica New Zealand's Arts, Education and Media programme.

The Artists to Antarctica programme is a joint initiative between Antarctica New Zealand and Creative New Zealand, and selects artists who are prominent in their field or top emerging artists.

Antarctica New Zealand CEO Lou Sanson says it gives New Zealand artists a rare opportunity to explore Antarctica, refresh their spirit and gain inspiration while living at Scott Base.

This year poet Bernadette Hall and artist Kathryn Madill plan to produce an illustrated book and a series of exhibitions based on their Antarctic experiences. Hall's prose and Madill's delicate imagery were linked together previously in Settler Dreaming, a collaborative work short-listed for the Tasmania Pacific Poetry Award.

Kirsten Haydon, the first jeweller/fine metal artist to visit Antarctica through any artists programme, will create a collection of commemorative jewellery and objects relating to landscape, flora and fauna. Haydon has a growing international reputation, exhibiting in the Talente 2000 in Munich. Contemporary furniture designer/maker David Trubridge will also visit Antarctica this season. He was meant to go last year but broke his leg, so his visit has been rescheduled. His interest lies in the history of polar exploration and he plans to develop a series of works based around the theme Structures for Survival.