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Nowhereisland, Artists Taking the Lead, 2012

Date uploaded: July 6, 2011

Nowhereisland (2012)

In summer 2012, Nowhereisland, a large-scale, island sculpture formed from an Arctic island will journey around the south west region of England, stopping at ports and harbours as a visiting ‘island nation’. The story of Nowhereisland began in 2004, when artist Alex Hartley discovered an island which had been revealed from the melting ice of a retreating glacier in the High Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, whilst on a Cape Farewell (http://www.capefarewell.com/people/arts/alex-hartley.htm) expedition. Alex was the first human to ever stand on it and with the help of the Norwegian Polar Institute (http://www.npolar.no/en/) registered and named the island which is now included on all subsequent maps and charts.

This year, Alex will return to the Arctic to retrieve a portion of the island, which he will sail into international waters, where it will become a micronation – Nowhereisland – and then travel on to England where it will become the basis of a large-scale island sculpture which will tour the south west coast in 2012. Nowhereisland will embark upon its coastal journey of approximately 500 nautical miles from Weymouth, at the opening of the Olympic Games, on 25 July 2012 and will conclude in Bristol for the finale of the Cultural Olympiad on 9 September 2012.

Use the link below to find out more information about the project and to register to become a citizen:

Visit nowhereisland.org

Alex Hartley discovering Nyskjaeret on his Cape Farewell expedition, 2004. Photo: David Buckland

Alex Hartley discovering Nyskjaeret on his Cape Farewell expedition, 2004. Photo: David Buckland