I came across the work of Gautier Deblonde by way of Granta 101 in a photographic essay: “The Arctic”.    (The series “Voyage to Spitsbergen” can be seen on the site – nbpictures – and it is worth checking out…)The photographs in the series (Arctic) are meant to “serve as a reminder to people that our climate is changing, and that without a doubt it will affect them personally and profoundly, wherever they live. “

I appreciate the sense of time in the photographs above. Why would one live up above the Arctic Circle these days – except in search of something – Oil? Natural Gas? – Scientists studying the ice? What has happened to this train?  Why is it here – and abandoned in this way – this place called the Spitsbergen ?  Near to the summer solstice as we are right now… with our sunrise / sunsets so early and late – seemingly – I’m trying hard to imagine what it must feel like to be in perpetual daylight for some 2 months straight in “Midsummer” – or the opposite – darkness in “Midwinter”…

How attuned to the natural rhythms of the day are we anymore?