Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Close up on Polar Scientific research and extreme environments: an international, transversal and federating set of artistic and professional photographic reports on field work achieved by scientists in polar regions.  (OUR POLAR HERITAGE)

Outline
CONCEPT Starting from the IPY 2007-2008, the project is to work to the creation of an original and surprising piece of photographic art. The project will focus on two dimensions. First, a transversal set of artistic and professional images will reveal the high precision of the work achieved by women and men, under extreme conditions and illustrate the impact of scientific activities on people’s daily life. Secondly, our goal is to raise awareness of the public about the importance of scientific polar activities by literally exhibiting the photos in the street in different cities. Such large scale photographic exhibition could be seen as the most attractive and efficient way of educating the laymen and public at large people and increasing their awareness about the importance of monitoring the most extreme geographic places of the world in order to enhance our knowledge and understanding of our Planet, and foremost about life in the polar regions. This exhibition, first seen as nomad covering several cities and countries, could be presented in “real time” during 2008, right in the middle of the IPY. In addition, it is envisaged to showcase the photos at United Nations premises in order to sensitize decision makers. FOR WHAT AND FOR WHOM Polar regions, worldwide recognized as playing a key role within a global environment system at the planet level, are at the centre of important economic and geopolitical stakes. Within the set of its core priorities the IPY Joint Committee has stated that this year must be the unique opportunity to inform and alert people, the media, the stakeholders, over the social interest about the work running in those extreme places of the world. This exhibition is again an opportunity to reach a large audience and make it sensitive to those societal interests. The exhibition will take place « in the street », with large format images. This will contribute to deliver the messages to today’s and future researchers, engineers and logistic people, stakeholders, people from the finance community and from the international research program organizations. The 24 hours a day, access free, street exhibition will give people time to seize the significance and importance of the IPY. The pictures will also play the role of a footprint, prolonging the memory of this major event within today’s scientific community and will be reproduced in books, publications, multimedia, and conferences. They will serve to promote public awareness about IPY activities. HOW Our wish is to realize, in Arctic, Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic regions, photographic reports, proposing a pre-discussed new look. Our ambition is to go beyond the sole information goal. We definitely want to deliver a truly artistic work that is creative and that will have a huge public impact. Organized jointly with polar operators and polar teams, we will reveal the most relevant situations and focus on the photographic quality. Particular care will be taken of the framing, the positioning of the subjects, the lighting, and the dynamic effects that will be put in place to establish a brand new and attractive image of scientific research diving into the Polar Regions atmosphere. The reports will take as a matter of interest some of the following subjects: The scientific bases, located on the ground as well as on the sea The places where the experiments are run The people living in the polar environment The different topics related to the leading edge issues The international collaborations Once the photographic missions will be completed, a sample of 30 to 50 pictures will be selected to be presented during the exhibitions. Very large scale “enlargement” will be presented in the streets, over walls, park grids, crossroads, avenues, etc.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
1. To reach a very large audience worldwide and make it sensitive to polar scientific research and extreme environments. 2. An international photographic large-scale exhibition and contributions to books, multimedia, publications and conferences.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
This photographic concept is to be a transversal view across a large number of IPY core activities. These photographic reports will go across the various IPY themes and show the various projects as being part of a whole.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Where the selected polar scientific teams will be working

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 01/07 - 12/07            
Antarctic: 10/06 - 12/07            

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
No specific requirements other than transport and lodging to accompany/join scientists working in the field

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The exhibition will take place « in the street », with large format images. This will contribute to deliver the messages to today’s and future researchers, engineers and logistic people, stakeholders, people from the finance community and from the international research program organizations. The 24 hours a day, access free, street exhibition will let time to people to get the great importance of the IPY. The pictures will play the role of a footprint, prolonging the memory of this major event within today’s scientific community and will be reproduces into books, publications, multimedia, and conferences.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Consortium
Own national polar operator
Own support

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Yes

How will the project be organised and managed?
By myself in coordination with polar operators and polar teams.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
By showing through a large-scale international photographic exhibition the importance of polar research and monitoring. By using these pictures in school books, lectures, meetings, publications, magazines… By creating awareness through the above-mentioned international nomad exhibition and through various other ways such as conferences, lectures, contributions to publications, non commercial public information products of WMO and ICSU as co-sponsors of IPY

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
A website photo-library will be set up.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
International organisations National organizations and Ministries National and international polar operators City communities Private companies

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Stunning transversal photographic reports would highly contribute to sensitize the people and decision makers about the importance of IPY for present and future generations. The pictures would reveal not only the high precision of research undertaken by women and men under extreme conditions, but also the fragility of polar environmental eco-systems and the challenges for their inhabitants. Moreover an international nomad large-scale exhibition going across the different sciences will federate these into one major global undertaking that benefits mankind and encourages people and nations to take care of our environment and our planet.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Photographer Christian Morel
4 allée des Glycines GIERES


38610
France

Tel: + 33438370096
Mobile: no
Fax: no
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation