Glaciers in the Heat Zone by Sam Baardman
Glaciers in the Heat Zone delves into the beautiful and terrifying worlds of fire and ice. The show will feature photographic images, video, soundscape, spoken word, songs and 3 dimensional objects that will take viewers into the heart of the large-scale natural cycles that define our time.
While the tragedy of climate change will be part of the focus, a balance will be struck between ecological devastation and the need for positivity and hope. The utter beauty of glaciers will be a strong feature of the show. As for wildfires, I will focus on live fires as well as burn sites from across the country, showing images of forest devastation as well as rejuvenation and forest resilience.
The show’s visual thrust will be to juxtapose the ethereal blue of ancient ice and the blazing hot light of an igniting forest D to connect the slow decline of glaciers to the explosiveness of a howling wildfire. These contrasting elements will be central to the show’s power and aesthetic force.
A message of hope will be conveyed by relating my own experiences of being in these environments. This will be done with audio overlays on video, as well as performances featuring songs and spoken word at the opening and during other live events. Performances will communicate what is happening in the interaction between glaciers snd wildfires, and also express my own awe and wonder after encountering these forces up close.
Glaciers in the Heat Zone is a multi-media show that uses photography, video ,poetry, songs and 3 dimensional objects to reveal scenes of wondrous beauty, terrible destruction and the interaction of epic forces normally invisible in our daily lives. Approximately 40 pieces of different sizes will be produced for this show. The subject matter lends itself to large-scale printing which increases impact. Given its size, the Centre may want to reduce the number of pieces to suit the venue, place artwork in unconventional spaces, or arrange pieces salon-style in the gallery.
Artist Bio
Sam Baardman is a multi-disciplinary artist living in Winnipeg, Canada. As a wilderness and environmental photographer, Sam has exhibited photography and video installations in galleries in Canada and the United States. He has also released 4 full-length albums and has toured extensively as a singer-songwriter. In 2025 he was appointed as an Artist-In-Residence with the United Nations International Year of Glaciers Preservation. In December, 2025, Sam was awarded the United Nations University Medal for Outstanding Contribution to the United Nations International Year of Glaciers□Preservation. He is currently serving as a Scholarly Mentor with the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation. In 2006, Sam co-founded the River on the Run Artist Collective. Working in collaboration with biologists and climate scientists, their art investigates the increasingly fragile relationship between humans and their habitats.