South Orkney Islands
(Mobile Pictures of the Exhibition)
A British Antarctic Survey.
Simon Faithful, Keith Grant, Anne Brody and David Wheeler
"We climbed around a final ridge and saw a Whaling Boat 2,500ft below. A few moments later we saw the sheds and factory of Stormness Whaling-Station. We paused and shook hands -Ernest Shackleton.(2005)
When I visited the Peninsula Gallery today it was just to see what was being shown as I hadn't known beforehand what was there. It was the video of the Sheds and Whaling Station that caught my attention. The sheds empty and desolate, now inhabited by the seals who roam around and shelter undisturbed. They looked comfortable, and somehow their expressions conveyed a sense of "this is ours now," as they reclaimed this land as their own territory once again. I sat and watched them for ages, I think the video ran twice. I was mesmerised by their presence and enjoyed viewing the snow falling on the camera, while also trying to spot the people hiding in the shadows out of sight of the seals and the camera.
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