PROJECT TITLE
“Rug in the Shape of the Shadow of a Polar Bear”

DETAILS
Semi-transparent urethane sheet, 2x2m

SUPPORTED BY
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility
The New School
A/D/O Brooklyn
Goldsmiths, University of London

INSTALLATION VIEW
A/D/O Brooklyn

PHOTO CREDIT
Andy Gibbs

What does a polar bear look like to the eyes of a satellite?

Their dense fur absorbs portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, which can make polar bears difficult to detect for infrared satellites tasked with wildlife observation. The cooler region created by their shadows on the ice might be their only visible trace. Like a strange hunting trophy from the worlds of machine vision, the rug – made from semi-transparent urethane – looks as if it, too, is a shadow on the ground.