Kaspersky Lab supports first ever Antarctic Biennale, an art expedition with participants from around the world, including UAE

Eugene Kaspersky, Chairman and CEO of Kaspersky Lab, joined the first ever Antarctic Biennale – a creative journey that brought together artists, scientists and technology visionaries from all over the world, to explore and create a universal cultural future for Antarctica. Kaspersky Lab actively supports the project, which takes the contributors on a 12-day expedition from Argentina to the Antarctic and back. Each expedition member is an eyewitness and a contributor to the art-making process. Among the artists joining the Antarctic Biennale is Abdullah Al Saadi from the UAE.

Commenting on his journey to Antarctica with the Biennale, Eugene Kaspersky, Chairman and CEO of Kaspersky Lab, said: “We have supported Antarctic expeditions in the past, but this is the biggest project for us on the continent. I think it will be a fascinating endeavor and I made my decision to support it when I saw the genuine passion from the organizers. The Antarctic is like no other place on earth; it’s a shared continent without borders that’s both beautiful and fragile in its barely inhabitable wilderness. I’ve already been there – and I think it’s a place that provides plenty of inspiration for artistic exploration and expression. I’m really excited to be participating in the expedition, and I’m looking forward to all the art it will produce.”

The Antarctic Biennale expedition under UNESCO’s patronage started on March 17, 2017 in Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city, where the participants boarded the research “Akademik Sergey Vavilov”. During landings at various Antarctic locations, artists temporarily install works of art, or engage in performances. Mobility, proportionality to the space, ecological compatibility, artistic expressiveness and conceptual acuity are the themes of these art objects. All installations created during the expedition will be dismantled and loaded back on the ship, to continue their lives in the world’s leading museums and art centers.

“I always draw landscapes in open areas using pencil on long canvases. From my previous works, I often use colors such as brown, red and green to represent mountains and landscapes that I encounter throughout my journey. This time, the challenge is to reflect the white mountains on white canvas”, says Abdullah Al Saadi.  

“Antarctica is the last truly free space and a model for the future; and according to the Antarctic Treaty (1959) and related international agreements it is intended exclusively for creative activities and scientific research in the interests of all humanity”, says Alexander Ponomarev, the project’s leader, artist, sailor, and philosopher. “Antarctica is the continent that can encourage people to think about the future of humanity and culture, providing an opportunity to create new ways of seeing life on our planet.”

You can see more details at the project’s website www.antarcticbiennale.com and at www.blog.kaspersky.com