In August of 2012, artist Zaria Forman led an Arctic art expedition called Chasing the Light aboard the Wanderbird up the NW coast of Greenland.

The body of work—a series of large-scale pastel drawings on paper—sought to document climate change through art. As Zaria recalls on her website:

“My mother, Rena Bass Forman [a fine art photographer], had conceived the idea for the voyage, but sadly did not live to see it through. During the months of her illness her dedication to the expedition never wavered and I promised to carry out her final journey. In Greenland, I scattered her ashes amongst crackling ice diamonds, on the towering peak of one of earth’s oldest stones and under the green glow of northern lights. She is now a part of the landscape she loved so much. I am deeply grateful for the team of talented artists and scholars and the Wanderbird captains and crew for helping me carry out her wishes and realize her dream.
 
My hope is that these drawings bring awareness, and invite viewers to share the urgency in a hopeful and meaningful way. Art can facilitate a deeper understanding of any crisis, helping us find meaning and optimism in shifting landscapes.”

 

A portion of all sales from the series will go to 350.org. For a complete list of galleries representing Zaria’s artwork see here. For prints, visit her page on ArtStar. To see more of Zaria’s pastel drawings check her out at the online profiles below.

[via MakeMeASteak on reddit]