The Age of Ghosts

Krill nurseries, icescapes, and the aesthetics of protection

Embedded within the memory of ice, is a narrative that outlines Antarctica's critical importance in global climate and environmental systems. The Age of Ghosts is an ongoing research project focused on the seas, ice, and inhabitants of Antartica. The Age of Ghosts centres around the collaborative project The Deep South with David Bridie, and has evolved from our Antarctic Artist Fellowship (2021–2024).

An Age of Ghosts – A Requiem in C, 2024

Composed onboard RSV Nuyina on route to Antarctica

As I sat in the vast expanse of the ocean, four days from the shores of lutruwita and five from Antarctica, the ship shuddered beneath me. The endless blue, etched with wind-driven ripples, beckoned me to stillness – a space where I could confront the weight of the year that had passed and surrender to the anticipation of what lay ahead.

In this liminal world, where the rhythms of the Great Southern Ocean governed my days, my thoughts turned to the crises unfolding on our planet. In this challenging yet majestic landscape, I grappled with the spectre of extinction. A reality that transforms us into creators of ghosts and oversees the birthing of an eerie array of hauntings.

These mournful thoughts have become the foundation upon which this requiem is built – a testament to the turmoil that besets our world as we hurtle towards the unknown. Composed on board the RSV Nuyina en route to Antarctica for the 2023-24 season, it serves as a poignant reminder of our place within the grand tapestry of life and the urgent need for conservation.

released October 4, 2024, Mastered by Black Noll Studios, NYC