Project Pressure is delighted to welcome photographer Peter Funch as our newest contributing artist – with an expedition to California planned for 2014. Born in Denmark and now based in New York, Peter is perhaps best known for his meticulously constructed street and skyscapes, which show scenes captured and layered over a series of days or even weeks. Following a trip to Greenland during which he captured these stunning images, Project Pressure caught up with him to talk about art, climate change and being cold.
What concepts interest you as an artist?
The idea of people, places or objects in transition related to human and impact; when it has been something and is becoming something new. It can a historic document losing it is value or relevance, a city disappearing – like Detroit – or when glaciers slowly vanish.
What role can art play in a big issue like climate change?
The scientific is one angle, the political is an other, the artistic is third. It is important to have as many angles on a such urgent matter. Different methods and viewpoints can be an eye-opener for another group. it is usually how inventions are made. Olafur Eliasson, Josef Albers, James Turrell and Florian Maier Aichen are, in my eyes, artists who are an interesting place between art and science.
Why are you contributing to Project Pressure as an artist?
It is an important matter and it is important to create an archive of something in such drastic transition. I have always wanted to work with a subject more environmental and scientific. As an artist I am able to create work that hopefully gives another view on this “platform”.
Tell us your thoughts about planning your contribution to Project Pressure?
There are many conceptually interesting approaches to take: the historic, ie the glacier as a piece of history, the glacier in motion, colours of glaciers.. I am still deciding precisely.
How were your pictures from Ilulissat, Greenland taken?
I went to Greenland a couple of times to take pictures for Air Greenland. They have helicopters and gave me the opportunity to come fly around in these unique and very beautiful places.
Where’s the coldest you’ve ever been?
I have been to Greenland in the winter during a storm. We went up a mountain to photograph and all the camera equipment broke down because of the temperature. I don’t know the actual temperature or the windchill, but it was f… cold.
For more of Peter’s work, please see www.peterfunch.com
All images © Peter Funch.