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Artphilein Dossier 6 - Lost Ice: The Melting of Glaciers, Sea Ice and Polar Caps

A thematic selection of photobooks from the Artphilein Library In collaboration with Gianluca Bonetti

This Dossier displays a selection of over 60 photobooks focused on glaciers, polar ice caps, and ice floes, with a particular emphasis on those published in the last thirty years. The selection alternates between photographic books of pure visual poetry and others with a focus on research and activism.
“Lost Ice” is part of the research initiative rooted in the De Pietri Artphilein Foundation’s interest in humanity’s impact on the planet, particularly in the context of the Anthropocene and its consequences on the natural landscape.

These photobooks are accompanied by Gianluca Bonetti’s essay in addition to photographs of glaciers, icebergs, and glacier coverings. Since the 1960s, rising temperatures and the resulting melting of glaciers have become visibly noticeable. Mountaineers and explorers have documented this phenomenon not only through photographs but also in publications. In the following decades, the production of photobooks on glaciers and polar ice caps grew: some photographers sought to capture the beauty of these landscapes, preserving a visual memory; others focused on analyzing the rapid climate deterioration; and still others explored efforts to slow down its effects.

The selection of books is available online at: Artphilein Library Exhibition