Abandoned Whaling Station, Deception Island, 2006

Accession Code: wu1137 Title: Abandoned Whaling Station, Deception Island, 2006 Date completed: 2006 Classification: Print Medium: Woodcut Height (mm): 1123 Width (mm): 2324 Depth (mm): Inscription: Location Name: Gibbet Hill Location Description: Medical School Location Floor: 0

©The artist and Cristea Roberts Gallery

Emma Stibbon's practice explores environments that are undergoing transformation. She undertakes extensive research, travelling to locations and recording what she sees there through sketch and photography. This work is the result of two residencies in the Antarctic. On both visits Emma visited Deception Island, an active volcano in the South Shetland Isles. The island has a distinctive horseshoe shape which leant itself to the business of whaling. The whaling station in the print would have been in use up until the collapse of the market for whale oil in the 1930s. The damage to the building was caused by volcanic activity.

The print was created using two blocks, both hand cut by Emma, the first block was printed in pink, the second in black ink.