Twenty-eight pictures taken by Romanian photographer Rareș Beșliu during his first two expeditions to Svalbard and Greenland will be on display at Bucharest Photofest. The NORTH of Words/La NORD de Cuvine, the first exhibition within the project with the same name, will have its opening on Thursday, October 12.

The NORTH of Words initiative uses the power of pictures to raise awareness and prompt people to act towards reducing the effects of climate change, making wildlife the face and voice of the project.

The exhibition in Bucharest tells stories of the Arctic nature and wildlife in images "as beautiful as they are disturbing" - landscapes and animals living in a world that is warming far too quickly. Glaciers, icebergs, seals, walruses and polar bears are the stars of the photographs through which Rareș tries to move the viewer and bring up the topic of climate change. 

"We've all seen the huge icebergs breaking off the glacier in documentaries - and I think that's the most representative image of global warming and climate change. The thunder of the ice breaking and the waves it makes when it falls into the ocean got stuck in my mind, just like the thick fog in Greenland, a rare phenomenon in the past. I remember the mosquitoes there, from beyond the Arctic Circle, but especially the coal mine in Svalbard, which is still working at Longyearbyen, the northernmost human settlement," said Rareș Beșliu.

"I have seen and experienced all these things, but I don't think we all need to get close to the North Pole to understand what we and nature are going through. I want my photos to be enough and pass on everything I can't express in words," he added.

The exhibition is open to the public from October 6-15 in Piața Amzei and can be visited free of charge. The opening will take place on October 12 from 18:00. Further details here. 

Rareș Beșliu is a "wildlife photographer seeking to capture emotion in pictures." He traveled to several places for his projects, including Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Scotland, Cuba, Cyprus, Canada, Italy, and the Czech Republic. Plus, he published Dor de Viscri, a photo album about the beauty of simple life in a Transylvanian village. In November 2023, he will release a new photo album named Emotions, with images illustrating wildlife from all over the world.

Now in its 8th edition, Bucharest Photofest 2023 covers more than 50 events and brings together over 150 local and international artists. More information here.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: the organizers; credit: Rareș Beșliu)