Photographs from Restricted Areas: The Arctic in Transition

The Arctic is known from the news mainly as dwindling glaciers with starving polar bears. The disappearing ice opens up new opportunities for humans: Additional shipping routes and new sources of raw materials are opening up. The battle for the new Silk Road, the Polar Silk Road, has long since begun. Austrian artist Gregor Sailer spent four years photographing research sites and military bases in the Arctic − for the most part in restricted areas; he had to wait several years for permits. From 14 January to 2 April 2023, the Alfred Ehrhardt Foundation in Berlin is showing Gregor Sailer: The Polar Silk Road.

Gregor Sailer (*1980) is known for his multi-year photography projects that have taken him to all corners of the globe. His pictures deal with explosive topics on the fringes of media perception, such as the Polar Silk Road. The aesthetics of the photographs contrast with the content: they appear calm, reduced and are characterised by restrained colourfulness. As if his works were the calm before the storm.