Usually, an image of “Crossing the Circle” is associated with school-wide shame and a disappointed glare from Headmaster Temba Maqubela. However, one step into the de Menil Gallery and the forbidden term transforms into sprawling auroras, solitary icebergs, and an unbroken sea. The photographs gracing the walls of our gallery not only offer a glimpse into the hidden beauty of the wildest place on Earth, but also heralds a guttural omen of climate change.
Famously known as the “frozen desert,”colorless sheets of glaciers and stubby penguins make Antarctica a hidden treasure of the world. However, if you look past the stunning photographs to the warning hidden behind the arctic landscape, you will find something much more haunting. John Huet, the award-winning photographer from a small town outside of Pittsburgh, aimed to portray the wonder of experiencing Antarctica first-hand. “To visit Antarctica is to be changed forever,” he reflects. “Experience Antarctica just one, and become an Antarctic ambassador for life.” Beyond the hard to find landscape, however, is a message he strived to spread to the Groton community, and more broadly the world.
As the last place on Earth to survive amidst the horrors of climate change, many refer to Antarctica as the “last land standing.” Due to its extreme weather conditions and sub-zero temperatures, the “winter continent” holds its ground against global warming, desperately trying to protect its ecological life from the harms of excessive warmth. However, recent studies show that Antarctica may fall apart under the pressure that rising temperatures impose. Until now, though polar regions are most impacted by higher temperatures, the icy continent has managed to maintain its habitat, even as the phrase “melting polar ice-caps” becomes increasingly prevalent in the discussion surrounding environmental sustainability. If Antarctica succumbs to global warming and its ice caps melt further, not only will it increase already rising sea-levels, putting many sea-side towns and their inhabitants at extreme risk, but it can also increase the likelihood of natural disasters such as tsunamis or hurricanes.
The bottom line is, if we cannot put an end to climate change before Antarctica crumbles, it will be far too late for us to save our beloved planet. “Crossing the Circle” is not just an exhibit recognizing Antarctica’s chilling perfection, but a call to action while humanity still has time. By blending stunning elements of nature with the underlying warning of the dangers of climate change, the de Menil Gallery presents an urgent message wrapped in beauty—act while we can. Save the planet, save Antarctica while we still have a chance.
So take that free period during your day or the extra time between school and practice and visit the art gallery. You do not have to worry incessantly about the rising sea levels nor the melting ice caps, but spare a thought for what small choices you can make to help. Walk those extra five steps to throw the can in the recycling. Use a reusable water bottle instead of a single-use plastic bottle. Turn off your lamp before you leave your room. Remember the breathtaking landscape of Antarctica, and strive, no matter how you try to help, to preserve that beauty for future generations to come.
