Press release from Hendersonville Sister Cities:
As part of Hendersonville Sister Cities’ regular Speaker Series, local explorer, artist, and filmmaker Derek Coté will give a presentation Monday, Sept. 24, on his experiences exploring and conducting visual research in the high Arctic.
September’s free Speaker Series presentation will begin at 7 p.m. in the Laurel Park event room of Appalachian Coffee Company, which is donating a portion of proceeds from the evening’s drink sales to benefit Hendersonville Sister Cities’ “Hendersonville Student Ambassador” Travel Scholarship.
A Laurel Park resident, Coté has been exploring and conducting visual research in the Arctic regions of Alaska, Iceland, Svalbard and Northern Canada since 2012, which has culminated in art installations, exhibitions, and screenings of his award-winning short films throughout the United States and internationally.
Coté originally ventured to the Arctic purely for visual inspiration. But, he said, “I find myself increasingly interested in the rapid and inevitable social, economic and environmental transformations unfolding on the planet’s absolute last frontier.” Coté said, “The Arctic, once regarded as a cold wasteland, is gaining momentum as a heated battleground as a variety of interests push into and establish a presence in the Arctic.”
The goal of Coté’s Observations in No Man’s Land is to investigate what makes the Arctic unique and why it is believed to be a bellwether for the future of modern civilization. It is an exercise in observation that does not attempt to provide personal or political narrative, or provide concrete answers to complex issues. Observations in No Man’s Land acts as an enquiry into the profound cultural, political and environmental forces developing in a contemporary and future circumpolar North.
Coté’s presentation will include slides and a short, 12-minute film, shot and produced in the abandoned Soviet utopia of Pyramiden in the international archipelago of Svalbard.
Appalachian Coffee Company is located at 1628 5th Avenue West, Hendersonville, NC. For more information about Derek Coté and his work, visit http://www.derekcote.com/.
About the “Hendersonville Student Ambassador” Travel Scholarship
Scholarships can be awarded for Spring, Summer, or Fall semester travel, and are open to students ages 16-26 with residency in Henderson County who are in the process of applying to or have been accepted for a study abroad, internship, or work study program. To donate to the “Hendersonville Student Ambassador” fund, or to learn more about Hendersonville Sister Cities, visit http://www.hendersonvillesistercities.com/.
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