Contemplating Glaciers - A Dialogue: A solo art exhibition by Jan Kabatoff, curated by Jessica Turner

A Solo Exhibition by Jan Kabatoff, Curated by Jessica Turner

Contemplating Glaciers - A Dialogue is a solo art exhibition by BC artist Jan Kabatoff, curated by Jessica Turner.

This exhibition marks the culmination of Ms. Turner's master's thesis, which explores the many ways in which art and participatory exhibition design can be a useful tool for climate change awareness.

Jan Kabatoff began her research into melting glaciers over two decades ago and has trekked across glaciers in North America, South America, and Asia, collecting data to inform her artistic practice. Inspired by glacier degradation symptoms such as cryocnites and millwells, her artwork is the result of in-depth studies and up-close interactions with glaciers including Athabasca Glacier - the most visited glacier in North America - which is expected to disappear entirely between 2040 and 2100. Kabatoff captures the ever-changing glacier state through thoughtful mediums, allowing others to experience these massive ice formations up close through sculptures, paintings, textiles, video, and audio.

All ages welcome | Free admission

About the Artist

Ice and water have been recurring themes in my work for many years, standing in as
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 Ural 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 as
not only 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.

My multi-media approach combines aesthetic observations and artistic skill with research
that is grounded in science, to facilitate a dialogue about climate change in the hope of
catalyzing civic engagement. My reflections on the shrinking glaciers will add a fresh
perspective on their importance, not only to our national identity that is rooted in the
landscape, but to future generations who stand to inherit our disappearing icons.

IG: @contemplatingglaciersexhibit    www.contemplatingglaciersexhibit.ca     www.jankabatoff.com