By: Marie Jen Galilo, Staff Writer
Glaciers are not only rivers of ice, but also ancient, geological reflections of time. We are currently living through interglacial — the stage of the ice age characterized by warmer temperatures. Through her exhibition Interglacial, environmental artist Desirée Patterson explores the impacts of climate change and our responsibility to protect not only glaciers, but also diverse ecosystems. The Peak spoke with Patterson to learn more about Interglacial and her artistic practice leading up to the exhibition.
After being inspired by Mission Blue — an acclaimed documentary that highlights the work of marine biologist Dr. Sylvia Earle — Patterson recognized “the environmental degradations to these ecosystems that [she] deeply loved and connected with.” This was monumental for her; she became passionate about environmental mindfulness and protecting the natural environment, which “organically permeated into [her] practice.” She added, “I came to this place as an artist — you make work from your heart, you make work from your soul.”
Patterson joined the United Nations International Year of Glacier Preservation initiative as an artist-in-residence, where she worked with eminent environmental scientists across northern Turtle Island (Canada), to translate geological data into immersive artistic visualizations to produce Interglacial.
Interglacial explores deep time, wildfires, and deglaciation through five pieces. Each piece involves a “video didactic,” in which the scientists explain their research and remind us that not all hope is lost — we can protect our ecosystems if we understand the gravity of our impact and choose to act now.
For deep time, Patterson collaborated with ecologist Dr. Eric Higgs, and used repeat photography, which involves taking a picture of a place from the same spot at a different time. The piece consists of “eight different pairs of deglaciated repeats,” which the audience can directly lift to reveal the more recent glacial pictures below.
The wildfire section consists of three sculptures and multimedia installations, and was made in collaboration with wildfire ecologist and tree ring scientist Dr. Lori Daniels. One piece, “From the Ashes” consists of speakers made of “charred wood that was taken mostly in Mount Currie in a cultural burn with the Líl̓wat Nation,” which play the sounds of returning birds in a forest following a wildfire, a manifesto that displays the “resilience of nature and the ability of ecosystems to regenerate.”
“Still in Place” is the heart of the exhibition and was made in collaboration with glaciologist Dr. Brian Menounos. Patterson made “the glacier a direct collaborator in the process,” by creating the textile art piece at Place Glacier, using a tarp as a “barrier” between the ice and the fabric. She used cyanotyping, which involves coating the textile canvas in an iron solution that turns the fabric blue when exposed to UV. The audience walks under the canopy of “blue and white striations,” while listening to the sound of melting ice.
“I really hope that this inspires other people to step into their own power and use their voice in their own unique ways.”
— Desirée Patterson, environmental artist
Patterson hopes that experiencing this exhibition will inspire audiences to take action against climate change. “I really hope that this inspires other people to step into their own power and use their voice in their own unique ways,” Patterson said. “We all need to rise to this call to act.”
Interglacial will be on display at The Reach Gallery until March 20, 2027.
