Photos immerse viewers in icy terrains where late climatologist, researcher worked

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Peggy

Manitobans can walk through the icy terrains of the Arctic and Antarctic at an art exhibition in Winnipeg featuring photography from the late climatologist and ice researcher Klaus Hochheim.

The exhibition ICE: Moments, Photographs by Klaus Hochheim features 68 large-scale photos in the gallery at the Mennonite Heritage Centre at Canadian Mennonite University, in addition to a photography book of his work.

Hochheim, who was 55 when he died in 2013, learned photography at a young age and used these skills while working at the Centre for Earth Observation Science at the University of Manitoba, focusing on sea ice climatology and remote sensing in extreme conditions.

His wife, Martha Hochheim, said in an interview on CBC Radio’s Up to Speed on Wednesday that viewing his work at the gallery more than 10 years after his death was an emotional experience.

“He just always had a camera with him,” she said.

“He loved the Arctic and was able to go to the Antarctic once and just taking those pictures would preserve that memory.”

A man, located on the right, stands with a machine in an icy landscape. — This photograph taken in the Antarctic in 2010 is one of 68 photos featured in an art exhibition called ICE: Moments, Photographs by Klaus Hochheim. (Klaus Hochheim/MHC Gallery and Martha Hochheim)

Hochheim was among three people who died in a helicopter crash in the Canadian Arctic in 2013, during a routine mission to check ice conditions as part of a research project.

Martha said her husband’s work took him to remote places that most people won’t have the opportunity to experience.

She and Sarah Hodges-Kolisnyk, the gallery director at the Mennonite Heritage Centre, joined forces more than a year ago to launch an exhibition of Hochheim’s extensive collection of polar photographs taken from 2008-12.

Hodges-Kolisnyk, who has a background in history and photography, said when she first saw the images, she was mesmerized by Hochheim’s use of infrared photography techniques to show landscapes through a photo essay or documentary style.

Two penguins slide on their bellies on a sheet of ice. — A photograph Klaus Hochheim took when he visited the Antarctic in 2010 shows two penguins sliding on their bellies. (Klaus Hochheim/MHC Gallery and Martha Hochheim)

“The colours you’ll see look a little bit off, because he’s used that infrared technique, and so they also feel really otherworldly and alien a little bit, almost like you’re walking on the moon,” Hodges-Kolisnyk said on CBC Radio’s Up to Speed on Wednesday.

LISTEN | Two curators of an art exhibition talk about ice photography:

Up To Speed7:42Step into the icy terrains of the Arctic and Antarctic at an art exhibition right here in Winnipeg

Guest host Brittany Greenslade learned more about the work of photographer and climatologist Dr. Klaus Hochheim whose work is being featured at the Mennonite Heritage Centre in Winnipeg.

The “strikingly beautiful” images not only transport people to the Arctic or Antarctic, but guide viewers to understand Hochheim’s relationship with the region and to reflect on their connection to these places, she said.

The photographs are a glimpse into the story of a scientist, Hodges-Kolisnyk said.

“You get to see, kind of behind the scenes, the everyday successes and perils of what these scientists do to understand the world around us,” she said.

“It’s the story of an artist who’s also questioning the world around him in a different way with his lens.”

The collection makes her think about the ways our climate has changed over the past 10 years.

Grass that appears white is shown in the foreground of the image. A ship can be seen in the background. — The Falkland Islands are seen through Klaus Hochheim’s lens in 2010. Sarah Hodges-Kolisnyk, gallery director at the Mennonite Heritage Archives, says Hochheim used infrared photography techniques to show various landscapes through a photo essay or documentary style. (Klaus Hochheim/MHC Gallery and Martha Hochheim)

Hochheim’s ice photography and what climatology research meant to him has influenced younger scientists and communities where he worked, said Hodges-Kolisnyk, who described her husband as an intelligent and gentle person.

People can view his work at the gallery until Aug. 31, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the week and noon until 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

The entry fee is by donation.