Polarworld - news and events

We commissioned award-winning illustrator Andy Smith to create artworks for our new book project In Search of the South Pole.

Over the course of writing the book, conducting interviews and undertaking the research, we asked polar explorers, travellers, scientists and authors to describe the South Pole simply in just five words. We combined these responses with some phrases from books from the ‘heroic age’, to produce this skyscape of dreams and imagining. 'South Pole Sky' is now available as a one-off silk-screen print, limited to a collector's edition of just fifteen.

The second, entitled 'Great God!', illustrates Scott's feelings as he reached the Pole in 1912. On arriving at the South Pole in January 1912, Scott discovers that he has been forestalled to the prize by the Norwegian, Amundsen, and writes in his journal that evening: 'Great God! This is an awful place and terrible enough for us to have laboured to it without the reward of priority ... Now for the run home and a desperate struggle. I wonder if we can do it.'

Limited to one hundred copies. Both prints are available exclusively on this website.

We are delighted to announce that our book Last Days of the Arctic by Ragnar Axelsson is about to be reprinted, in association with Crymogea, Iceland. The book has been chosen as a 'book of the year' by The Times, who describe it as 'remarkable' and 'beautiful' and as 'a gift for the eyes, mind and heart'.

For more information on this title, and to see a 'flipbook' preview, please visit our books page. An exhibition to accompany the book will open in London early next year. More information will follow.

The second in our Face to Face series was released to wonderful reviews, in association with Anova Conway.

Face to Face: Ocean Portraits is a stunning visual exploration of people who have been inspired by the oceans, who voyaged to the limits of possibility, who endured unfathomable hardships on the high seas, and who have broadened the horizons of our understanding – heroes of maritime and seafaring history alongside men and women of many nations working in the modern marine environment.

For more information on this title, and to see a 'flipbook' preview, please visit our books page.

On 29 October, Polarworld, in association with the Old Royal Naval College and the Canadian High Commission, held a very special polar event in Greenwich.

A moving ceremony for the rededication of the Franklin Monument and re-internment of the remains of one of Sir John Franklin's crew, Lieutenant Henry Le Vesconte, was followed by a gala reception in the Painted Hall.

The 'polar-themed' cocktails, courtesy of Mamont Vodka, and delicious canapes were followed by a talk by Robert Grenier, Chief Underwater Archaologist, Parks Canada - all washed down with vintage Chateau Mukhrani wine. Thanks to everyone for coming. We hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as we did.

Face to Face: Polar Portraits was re-released in a second edition hardback by Conway Anova in November 2009. It has also been published in Germany by Frederking & Thaler, and in Italy by De Agostini.

The Sunday Times chose it as their 'Book of the Week'  and The Observer called it 'Picture Book of the Year'. It has variously been described as 'impressive', 'stunning', 'remarkable' and 'spell-binding' by other national magazines and newspapers. Copies of the book are available from this site. Please visit our online shop or visit our books page.

With our partners, Stanfords bookshop in central London, Polarworld was proud to produce their Christmas lecture at the Royal Geographical Society.

Dr Huw Lewis-Jones gave a lecture on polar photography and then hosted a discussion with expedition photographer Martin Hartley and celebrated polar cinematographer, Doug Allan. In addition to rare images from our new projects, Doug shared new underwater footage from his forthcoming BBC series.

Stanfords stock all of our titles. More information about this unique evening can be found here.

At 19:00 hrs GMT 29 May 1969 Sir Wally Herbert, Dr Roy ‘Fritz’ Koerner, Allan Gill and Dr Ken Hedges and some forty dogs finally reached land after a 16-month, 3,620 mile journey over the top of the world, successfully completing an expedition that would be hailed as the ‘last great journey on Earth’ – the first crossing of the Arctic Ocean along its longest axis, and the first undisputed expedition to reach the North Pole on foot.

To celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the successful culmination of this historic expedition, Polarworld organised several high-profile events.

Discovery Point hosted an evening celebration with a talk by Kari Herbert, the daughter of the leader of the British Trans-Arctic Expedition, polar explorer Sir Wally Herbert. Kari is shown here with furs she wore as a child in Northwest Greenland. The exhibition also featured fur clothing worn by Sir Wally, the North Pole sledge as well as other equipment used by the expedition. For more information about our partner, visit Discovery Point

A memorial evening in honour of Sir Wally Herbert, pioneering polar explorer, and his travelling companion and leading glaciologist, Dr Roy 'Fritz' Koerner, was held at the Royal Geographical Society in London on 7th April 2009 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the British Trans-Arctic Expedition.

In 1969, Sir Wally and his team became the first to cross the surface of the Arctic Ocean via the North Pole. Their 16 month adventure resulted in one of the greatest polar journeys of all time. The anniversary celebration of the team reaching the Pole included contributions from leading figures in polar exploration, science and the arts.To view more about this historic event click here

To our great sadness Allan Gill, an extraordinary polar traveller and good friend passed away in the early hours of 14 January 2010. He was among the most accomplished polar men of his age, yet was perhaps the most modest. He will be dearly missed.

The Face to Face: Polar Portraits exhibition has now been shown in Ireland, Cambridge, London and New York, and continues to tour. It was most recently shown aboard HMS Scott in Cardiff. For more information on our Polar Portraits exhibition, please contact our partner, the Scott Polar Research Institute