Jan Kabatoff​

 

Our relationship with the natural environment has been a recurring theme in my work for many years, with ice and water as stand-in metaphors for change and transformation. However, it wasn’t until 2005 that glaciers became a source of deep interest and concern for me, as climate change accelerated their melting rate. As a result, from 2005-2009, I have journeyed from the Canadian Rockies to South America’s Andes and Mongolia’s Altai Mountains, to chart the impact of climate change on glaciers and map their transformation. It was a way to better grasp their ephemeral nature and our interconnectedness with the natural world locally and globally.  I now understand glaciers not only as the last storehouses of fresh water on the planet, but vital to the survival of downstream ecosystems, agriculture, species, and human habitats that rely on glacier waters. In addition, scientists are telling us that snow and ice act as natural thermostats that regulate the climate of the entire northern hemisphere.  In the absence of glaciers, the stability of the natural climate thermostat of our continent will be dramatically altered.

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     My multi-media approach combines aesthetic observations and artistic skill with research that is grounded in science.   It is meant to convey the intrinsic beauty of glaciers while at the same time, facilitate a dialogue about climate change that will catalyze civic engagement.  I hope my recent journey to the shrinking Athabasca Glacier will add a fresh perspective on the importance of glaciers, not only to our national identity that is inextricably linked to the landscape, but to future generations who stand to inherit our disappearing icons.