Exhibitions on Screen | Chilled: Antarctic Life

Chilled invites visitors to immerse themselves in the daily lives of the extraordinary people who have been stationed at one of the most remote places on Earth. The exhibition showcases the remarkable resilience of Antarctic expeditioners and the numerous ingenious ways they managed the perils, isolation, and responsibilities of life on the world’s coldest continent.

 

Simon Froude, Director-General of the National Archives, said that Chilled explores not just the challenges faced but also provides a window into working in this unforgiving environment.

 

“The exhibition presents stories and archival records, highlighting how expeditioners formed human connections, carried out their work, and upheld morale whilst living in extreme isolation. The shared stories and accounts reveal how their time was made somewhat more tolerable,” Mr Froude remarked.

 

“Most excitingly, the Perth exhibition features a broad selection of newly digitised photographs from 20th-century British and Australian Antarctic expeditions. These images help to further illuminate the tough conditions, distinctive wildlife, and the science and technology of the period,” he added.

 

Vesna Liso, State Manager of the National Archives' Western Australia Office, expressed her delight in hosting Chilled.

 

“The exhibition has previously been seen only in Tasmania, and there is known public interest for this captivating exhibition to tour nationally,” she stated.

 

Bruce Kay, Exhibition Curator at the National Archives’ Tasmania Office, noted, “This is a significant exhibition that emphasises Australia's historical relationship with Antarctica, starting from when Douglas Mawson led the first Australasian Antarctic Expedition in 1911.”

 

“The Australian Antarctic Territory was enacted in 1936, and the first Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (ANARE) mission in 1947 established permanent Australian stations to support ongoing scientific and exploratory endeavours.”

 

Chilled: Antarctic Life, Inside and Out is on display from Monday to Friday at the National Archives' Western Australia Office from 10 July 2023 to 30 March 2024.

 

In alignment with the warmer days of Birak, the exhibition will feature in a digital screening from November to January at the City of Perth Northbridge Piazza Superscreen.