STEFAN HUNSTEIN – ICE

Stefan Hunstein – Ice ( Nr 34 )

ESPACE 2: EXHIBITION UNTIL OCTOBER 25th, 2014

Stefan Hunstein’s images of the infinitude of the icy wasteland arouse contradictory emotions in the spectator, alternating between an overwhelming impression of beauty and one of menacing horror. The spectacle presented by nature at the same time takes on a theatrical quality of its own, which casts its spell over the viewer. For the individual, the perception of this monumental environment, which is so hostile to life, is a numinous experience and gives rise to a particular state of mind.

The magic of the polar regions has fascinated and attracted explorers for centuries. This desolate world, characterized by gigantic icebergs, drift ice, and Arctic temperatures, conforms to everyone’s conception of a pristine, archaic landscape, which, however, is accessible only for a short time and at the cost of enormous physical effort with the aid of sophisticated technology. Those who visit this bizarre landscape of ice and snow are overwhelmed by the sensation of being just a tiny, insignificant entity in the midst of a grandiose natural spectacle.