Permanence in Antartica

Ronald Patrick

2018 — Antartica

About this series 

It would be unthinkable that the scientific research that takes place in the most secluded place on Earth, in Antarctica, would not be financially and logistically supported by our governments. These projects depend on the use of specialized infrastructure and an extraordinary commitment of the human resource that inhabits these places. As the scientific and military bases have become almost a permanent residence for many that work there for a limited amount of time, several needs arise that are inherent to the human condition. Amongst them, communication, comfort, recreation and even faith have their own physical spaces.
Satisfying these needs might seem superfluous in such an extreme environment at a first glance, but are vital for their residents. This directly impacts the landscape by the expansion of infrastructure over time, which is there to stay. Extending these facilities requires extraordinary efforts in Antarctica, starting by shipping the materials to the continent, its construction and continuous rigorous maintenance.

Using photography as a medium, the main objective of this project is to record and analyze the theme of permanence. Firstly, to register how the human settlement blends and dialogues visually and aesthetically with the Antarctic landscape. This space must necessarily be shared between endemic inhabitants and people. At the same time, I aim to study the complexity of everyday life faced by those who live there for long periods of time in isolation and extreme conditions. Under such circumstances, I record those people’s relationship with their environment, peers and themselves.

Considering these two aspects, I want to create awareness about the impact of the efforts of such scientific projects, both in a human and environmental visual scale. It is this contrast of the every day life -from solving basic human needs with its routines and implications, to nurturing human curiosity by conducting scientific research about our planet- all immersed in the Antarctic surroundings.

Photographer: Ronald Patrick
Nationality: Chilean
Based in: Germany and Switzerland
Website: www.ronaldpatrick.com
Instagram: @ronpatricke

Ronald Patrick grew up in Santiago de Chile. After completing his studies on Business and Economics, and working in the corporate world in San Francisco for 3 years, he decided to undertake his passion for photography and focus on stories that are important to him.

Since 2008, he has been working in the photo-documentary field as well as in corporate photography. He has worked on numerous personal projects and commissions all over the world. His work has been published internationally and exhibited in different galleries and photography festivals