KLEINBURG, ON.- On January 31, 2015, the powerful and provocative exhibition Vanishing Ice: Alpine and Polar Landscapes in Art, 1775-2012 opened at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. Since debuting in 2013 at the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, Washington, the exhibition has garnered attention for its unique interweaving of art, history, and science. Showcasing the beauty and fragility of Earth’s frozen frontiers through the eyes of artists, writers, and naturalists over a period of more than 200 years, the exhibition offers a unique take on the timely subject of climate change.

Vanishing Ice features over seventy works including drawings, prints, paintings, photographs, videos, and installations by fifty artists from twelve countries. Among these historical and contemporary artists are: Ansel Adams, Lita Albuquerque, James Balog, Thomas Hart Benton, David Buckland, Gustave Doré, Lawren Harris, Isaac Julien, Kahn & Selesnick, Rockwell Kent, Paul D. Miller (aka DJ Spooky), Alexis Rockman, Camille Seaman, and Spencer Tunick. The exhibition unfolds thematically, geographically, and chronologically, moving from alpine to Arctic and Antarctic landscapes.

The idea for Vanishing Ice grew out of curator Barbara Matilsky’s doctoral dissertation, written thirty years ago about the sublime landscapes of French artist-naturalist-explorers who were among the first to depict the poles and mountain glaciers. As Matilsky became aware of the increasing number of contemporary artists who were venturing to the Arctic and Antarctic, she saw an opportunity to compare historical and contemporary depictions of these rapidly changing landscapes, as epitomized by the juxtaposition of Arthur Oliver Wheeler’s 1917 image of the Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park and Gary Braasch’s 2005 photograph of the same location.

“I am hoping that Vanishing Ice will stimulate a new appreciation for alpine and polar landscapes by revealing their significance for both nature and culture,” said exhibition curator Barbara Matilsky from the Whatcom Museum. “In the past, artists and naturalists expanded the public's awareness of Earth's icy frontiers. Today, artists continue to collaborate with scientists, motivated by the belief that art will help people to visualize the accelerating effects of climate change. They awaken the world to both the beauty and increasing vulnerability of ice, which is critical for biological and cultural diversity. Their work will hopefully inspire activism on the regional and national levels to make the requisite policy changes that will bring Earth back into balance.”

The McMichael is the exhibition’s final stop on a tour that included the Whatcom Museum; the El Paso Museum in Texas; and most recently the Glenbow Museum in Calgary.

“The McMichael nurtures a special interest in exploring the intersection of art and nature, and encouraging meaningful dialogue about the environment,” said Dr. Victoria Dickenson, Executive Director and CEO of the McMichael. “Vanishing Ice is both a beautiful glimpse of some of the most remote and fragile ecosystems, and a call to action on what many people hold to be the defining issue of this generation.”

Vanishing Ice, which spans the McMichael’s upper level of gallery spaces, will be complemented by an exhibition based on the McMichael’s permanent collection of works related to the Arctic, opening on February 14, 2015. The installation will include paintings and drawings by members of the Group of Seven, including Lawren Harris—famed for his depiction of icebergs and glaciers—and works by Inuit artists, including Tim Pitsiulak.