For photographer David Burdeny, a journey more than 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle and east of his native Canada—to Ilulissat, Greenland—was one of surreal inspiration. He set out to produce a collection of images “that would resonate something northern . . . I decided on a frozen landscape; ice, snow and glaciers.” Ilulissat, it turned out, was “home of some of the most spectacular icebergs on Earth.”
Massive and awe-inspiring, icebergs became a clear focus for Burdeny. Though he intended to create a black-and-white project, the ethereal hues of these edge-of-the-earth landscapes compelled him to work in colour. He travelled several times in 2007 and 2008 to “the upper and lower extremes of our planet” to photograph the frosty monoliths of Greenland, Iceland and Antarctica.
Inspired to do some Antarctic exploration of your own? Ushuaia, Argentina, is a gateway for a number of Antarctic cruises. Before or after your chilly expedition, soak up some urban sophistication at Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires (a four-hour flight from Ushuaia) or some sunshine at Four Seasons Resort Carmelo, Uruguay (a half-hour flight from Buenos Aires).
A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, photographer David Burdeny holds degrees in both design and architecture. This background greatly influences his penchant for simple, exacting photographs of sky, horizon and the marks humankind leaves behind.
Susan E. Stegemann is managing editor of Four Seasons Magazine.
