"Rivers of Ice" On View At Royal Geographic Society, London; Vittorio Sella

"Gazing at Italian photographer Vittorio Sella‟s 1899 picture of the Jannu Glacier in Nepal — a huge ice tongue filling a valley — and then comparing it to my 2009 photo, in which the glacier has disappeared, creates a profound sense of unease." --David Breashears, FRGS

"LONDON -- 

        Retreating glacial ice is captured on camera by renowned climber, photographer and filmmaker David Breashears, FRGS, at a new exhibition in London at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

        The exhibition "Rivers of Ice: Vanishing Glaciers of the Great Himalaya" presents historic images of Himalayan glaciers from the collections of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and archives across Europe alongside perfectly matched contemporary photographs.

        Since 2007 David Breashears has made eight photographic expeditions to document the glaciers of the Greater Himalayan region. With the GlacierWorks team, he has travelled to some of the world's highest peaks, including Mount Everest, K2, Kangchenjunga and Cho Oyu. In so doing, he has recorded the losses and changes to glaciers that are otherwise inaccessible to all but the most skilled climbers, thereby providing an invaluable record for their future study. 

A photograph of the main Rongbuk Glacier in the Himalaya Mountains, Tibet Autonomous Region, China, in 2007.  Photo:  David Breashears, FRGS

        Commenting on his photographs David Breashears said: “These then-and-now pictures have a powerful effect on the viewer, one that I hope will bring home the reality — and serious consequences — of climate change. Gazing at Italian photographer Vittorio Sella‟s 1899 picture of the Jannu Glacier in Nepal — a huge ice tongue filling a valley — and then comparing it to my 2009 photo, in which the glacier has disappeared, creates a profound sense of unease.

           Commenting on the exhibition, Dr Rita Gardner, Director of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), said: “We‟re delighted that the Society is able to provide access to historic material in our Collections to help a broad range of individual researchers and organisations. In this exhibition David has been able to illustrate changes taking place in the environment from the use of our resources.” 

 

On view:  Monday 3 October 2011 to Friday 11 November 2011 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm).  Admission is free."

 

Vittorio Sella:  Jannu, Nepal, 1899 

NOTE:  If I were going to be in London anytime soon (I know I think I'd like to be, but the current issue of Conde Nast Traveller, which I read in a hospital waiting room today, made it seem that it's only for the so-called 1% at this point, who are populating some of the ugliest, vulgar new hotels I've ever seen illustrated anywhere -- so "un-London," but that's another subject for another time), I would certainly visit this exhibition at the Royal Geographic Society.  

Also on view now through early November is The Everest Generation, which looks sensational.  

I am so pleased I encountered this article this morning.  It was the kind of chance event I sorely needed.  Although it's said to tell a dire story illustrating our crumbling, but still magnificent world (and that's just the external, physical aspects; we're not even going to mention the people inhabiting it), it made me aware of the images and career of pioneering Italian mountains photographer Vittorio Sella  (1859-1943) (please see the awesome 19th century light and chemical spectacles of Nepal, Italy and Sikkim immediately above and below), a major discovery for me, which are sure to be a fount of future pleasure, learning, and dreaming.

Vittorio Cella:  Cimon Della Pala, Dolomite Mountains, Italy, August 1891

Vittorio Cella:  Summit of the Siniolchun seen from Zemu Glacier, Sikkim, 1899