GALLERY ETHER is pleased to announce “Chill Out: the Arctic Couldn’t”, our first exhibition with internationally renowned interdisciplinary artist, designer, technologist, and Tenure Track Assistant Professor at The University of Texas at Austin, Jiabao Li, to be held January 11th through February 1st.

In “Chill Out: the Arctic Couldn’t”, internationally renowned interdisciplinary artist, designer, technologist, and Tenure Track Assistant Professor at The University of Texas at Austin, Jiabao Li presents a varied collection of works created during her time in the Arctic Artist-in-Residence program based out of Svalbard, Norway. The pieces delve into the relationships between nature and humans, climate change, and the possibilities for future coexistence. 

The artist describes this endeavor in her own words:

“Svalbard, located halfway between Norway and the North Pole, is one of the fastest-warming places on Earth. In August 2024, the islands recorded their highest temperature on record—20.2°C. The Arctic’s ice caps and glaciers, often described as the planet’s sentinels, are melting at an alarming rate, revealing the stark realities of climate change. These frozen landscapes, which store memories of Earth’s history in their ice cores, are undergoing irreversible transformations.

Svalbard’s unique geopolitical context adds another layer of complexity. Governed by the Svalbard Treaty of 1920, the region is a microcosm of Arctic geopolitics, where national interests, resource extraction, and environmental stewardship collide. As nations vie for control over its diminishing resources and strategic waterways, the Arctic has become a contested space, reflecting humanity’s struggle between exploitation and preservation.

In May 2024, I joined the Arctic Circle Artist-in-Residence program. Alongside 25 artists, writers, and scientists, I sailed around Svalbard, reaching as far as 80.5 degrees north, near the North Pole. The sublime Arctic landscape—both its beauty and fragility—inspired the projects in this solo exhibition.

Through Chill Out: The Arctic Couldn’t, I aim to provoke reflection on humanity’s relationship with nature and explore possibilities for coexistence with more-than-human beings. By combining humor, irony, and scientific inquiry, this exhibition confronts the realities of a rapidly changing Arctic while imagining ways to navigate an uncertain future with humility and care.”

An opening reception with the artist in attendance and book release will be held on Saturday, January 11th from 17:00 to 20:00. As always, we’re looking forward to seeing you there!