About this project

Hi, I am working on a project called “Markers of Time” that is taking a look at how climate change is effecting natural cycles in the delicate ecosystems of arctic. 

For my previous project Lux I spent 5 years photographing the man made light glowing from cities all over the world. In 2009 I spent three weeks traveling on the Bering Sea for two and half weeks during the height of summer wildlife migration in 20 hours of daily sunlight. The contrast between these two experiences led me to think about the ways we attempt to control time and how this tendency disconnects us from the planet’s natural cycles. 

So in 2010, for the six months between summer and winter solstices I moved up to Alaska and traveled in Svalbard Territory in the Norwegian Arctic as a participant on the Arctic Circle Program to begin the Markers of Time project.

Climate change is a massively complex topic and up in the arctic it’s impacts are obvious. It is throwing off all kinds of natural rhythms. Rythmns that humans once depended on for survival (and some still do!). In most places we don’t experience and are not effected by any of these changes directly so in this project I am working to visually describe the impact of these changes and aim to get people to reflect on their relationships to man made and natural time. To understand this difference is to connect to the bigger picture. To encourage thinking beyond the local/micro toward the global/macro is the root of this project.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Through photography and video I am exploring and interpreting ideas in this project related to: 

• Fixed markers of time like solar and lunar cycles 

• The dialogue between man made and natural time so looking at different ways that humans relate to time – clock time, flight and truck scheduling, manmade light, 
• vs natural time - like solar/lunar/tidal/migratory/seasonal cycles… 

• Different ways climate change is impacting natural cycles like migratory patterns, the melting rate of glaciers, changes in food cycles...

I have been working with glaciologists, wildlife biologists, park rangers and I am making work related to: 

 • Glaciers that are shrinking rapidly

 • Shifting migratory patterns of birds and marine mammals 

 • The intersection of man made and natural time in the form of celestial happenings and industrial scheduling ( the full moon vs. airplane cargo flights or the Northern Lights vs. trucking schedules) 

• Coat changing species like the arctic fox, a species that is now out of synch with new climate patterns

YOUR SUPPORT 

The travel, coordination, technical training and production it takes to create this project is extensive and I need your help!  

As you can see Markers of TIme is well underway but your support is key to maintaining the momentum of the project. Funds from Kickstarter will support my travels North including this current six week trip throughout Alaska. It will also make possible the further creation and production of the work for exhibition. It will specifically help cover the costs of things such as: 

 • Travel expenses: flights, accommodations, car rental… 

• Materials: analog film, paper for printing, photographic chemicals (cyanotypes)… 

• Technical + production costs: lab processing fees, equipment rental, wilderness/scientific guide fees… 

 The Markers of Time project looks at an important moment in our relationship to the planet as the realities of climate change, while far less visible where most of us live, grow increasingly apparent in other parts of the world. 

Thank you for your interest and for your support. 

For more information please visit my website: www.christinaseely.com  and check in on my blog for upcoming project progress updates from Alaska over the next weeks at: metronature.blogspot.com. 

If you know anyone who might be interested in the work, please pass this on...

Cheers,

Christina

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