Claire Beynon

Opening statement from Camp New Harbor, U.S. Antarctic Program: November 24, 2006

Last year -- almost to this day -- Claire Beynon left Camp New Harbor after spending ten weeks as a member of our research team in Antarctica. Her participation was, in a real sense, an experiment. For years, we had mixed outcomes training university students and visiting scientists to conduct field studies here. Our hypothesis was that a skilled artisan would be pre-adapted to master the fine-scale manipulations required for biological investigations in this seemingly stark, Spartan setting. The null hypothesis spelled disaster, but that's the outcome we were testing.

Claire not only succeeded in fulfilling the physical demands of field work (such as lugging dive tanks and changing potty bags), but she excelled in identifying and handling precious specimens of foraminiferan protists. Her curiosity about the natural world and passions regarding worldly matters led to stimulating mealtime discussions, and often prompted the scientists to ask questions they never dreamed of. She opened all our eyes to the diverse, ever-changing Antarctic environment which, barring the wind, otherwise seems static, white and silent.

Camp New Harbor remains abuzz with Claire Beynon, who has accompanied us once again in spirit and through frequent communiqués. We are excited to participate in her gallery opening - but acknowledge that our images are not worthy of display next to art of Claire's caliber, nor do they necessarily complement her concept. Rather, they represent the effect she has had on our hearts and minds, and on our tiny community.

Flags mundanely mark our path, alert us to danger, and orient us toward or against the wind. Claire has shown us how they can also be used to link us in time and space, to point us toward the direction of change, and to highlight the subtle beauty that surrounds us. Who other than Claire could see these things? She is a gift as great as the Antarctic itself. We take great pride in celebrating her concepts and accomplishments!

Sam Bowser, on behalf of B-043: Henry Kaiser, Shawn Harper, Laura Parfrey, David Huang, Andrera Habura, Jan Pawlowski

BRINGING THE ANTARCTIC TO DUNEDIN

Page 34 - Otago Daily Times - published Thursday November 23, 2006

As icebergs drift closer to the Otago coastline, the opening of Claire Beynon's exhibition in Dunedin tomorrow will feature a live link to people on the ice. Beynon spent two months living and working in the Dry Valleys of the Antarctic a year ago with a research team from New York. These scientists decided to create a piece of performance art on the ice in front of their camp, to link in with the theme of her exhibition at the Peter Rae Gallery in Moray Place. Images of their activities will be transmitted live to people in the gallery via stills, and possibly silent video clips, every fifteen minutes or so during the opening, Beynon said. "In turn, we will photograph what's happening here and send them images, too."

The exhibition, titled 'Route Marking' has a wind and flag theme. The scientists would probably be making use of flags 'in- and out- of situ' and she would be creating a 'corresponding company' of ephemeral flags, configuring them in the gallery as metaphorical route markers. While the work was prompted by her visit to the Antarctic, she was primarily interested in its content on a metaphorical level - drawing attention to the power, beauty and fragility of the polar region, but also to other global and personal preoccupations such as 'global warming, our insistent abuse of the earth's resources, the importance of healthy relationships with each other, and with the environment."

Site design inspired by Claire Beynon's Katabatikos VIII and Flag Song.