Photographer and travel enthusiast René Koster fulfilled his dream and explored Antarctica aboard The Bark Europa – a ship built back in 1911. Inspired by the voyage and the stories about great expeditions of the past, the artist crafted an incredibly awesome project named Antarctica.
You can find more information about René Koster and his artistry on his website.
Asked by Conde Nast Traveller Spain about what drove him to explore Antarctica, René answered: “I have always had a keen interest in history; the stories of the great expeditions to Antarctica that took place in the early twentieth century, to discover this continent, still unknown back then.”
Moreover, back at the Art Academy he was deeply impressed by the work of photographer Frank Hurley (1885-1962) who joined an Antarctic expedition of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton.
The photographer tried to avoid capturing objects which could remind him of the present and everyday life.
He searched for harmony, tragedy, stillness and beauty – the beauty of emptiness and cold.
“The calm misty weather gives me a sense of desolation and makes the world feel smaller,” René wrote on his website.
The series of photographs is a tribute to the past, and René deliberately decided to work in color to better convey the atmosphere of the icebound world.
The pictures vividly reflect the unique spell of Antarctica’s solemn and stern nature as well as the heroism of explorers who dared to outbrave raging storms and biting frost.
The artist’s work was awarded in the Travel Photographer of the Year contest.
