Downward Drift

“Downward Drift" consists of a series of video recordings captured in the Arctic from various perspectives, including aerial and underwater shots, aimed at providing a survey of the territory. However, these images are fragmented and obscured, occupying only half of the screen, where the visible segment undergoes constant changes in a dynamic relationship of up and down, active and inactive, image and absence of image. The horizontal segmentation of the video is momentarily interrupted to reveal images from inside an ice cave, the sole coloured visuals in the sequence, serving as an allegory for an ominous confrontation with reality.

Throughout the video, there is a palpable sense of aggressiveness and randomness, which leads to interpret the imagery within the context of the inherent hostility of the Arctic environment. This hostility, is often diluted in video recordings due to an emphasis on aesthetic cleanliness and the pursuit of evoking a contemplative response to these remote locations. In this video work, one can envision the challenge of falling into the frozen waters of the Arctic, confronting the limitations to recognise and overcome the conditions of the environment. Ultimately, the video portrays a territory impacted by human presence yet remaining beyond complete human control.