Polar Outreach Catalogue

The Interpolar Transnational Art Science Constellation (I-TASC) is a non-profit organisation that is supported by the South African National Antarctic Program (http://www.sanap.ac.za) and the South African National Energy Research Institute (http://www.saneri.org.za). It is a decentralised network of individuals and organisations working collaboratively in the fields of art, engineering, science and technology on interdisciplinary development and tactical deployment of renewable energy, waste recycling systems, sustainable architecture and open-format, open-source media. I-TASC enabled collaborative research projects between artists, scientists and engineers in Antarctica during the 2008-2009 austral summer through the development of the Catabatic Experimental Platform for Antarctic Culture (ICEPAC). ICEPAC is a solar- and wind-powered mobile research station that can house a six-person crew for up to 30 days. The science centre Espace Mendes-France and Ellipse organised a series of events around the I-TASC project during IPY. An I-TASC terminal was installed in the Espace Mendes-France to provide real-time information on the activities of the I-TASC project and display environmental data collected by ICEPAC. The ICEPAC projects were also part of the second Bienal del Fin del Mundo, an art exhibition focused on weather, climate and Antarctica that took place from January through May 2009 in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo in Brazil, the South African Antarctic base SANAE IV, and Ushuaia and El Calafate in Argentina.