When we think of Antarctica, we picture great sheets of white stretching to the horizon. But when Douglas Mawson was forced to spend an unplanned winter in the far-flung region on his ill-fated 1911-14 expedition, he observed that “Antarctica is a world of colour, brilliant and intensely pure...” We were challenged by a visually-impaired friend to create a Vivid installation experience for him and others like him, as well as for fully-sighted people. Our inspiration came from the diary notes and sketches of Mawson’s expedition. We used a combination of dramatic lighting effects of high visual contrast and colour, and accompanying soundscape, to create an immersive experience for all. A voice-over reads excerpts from Mawson’s diaries; sound effects evoke the harshness of this beautiful but forbidding landscape.
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