Ice: Moments, Photographs by Klaus Hochheim

A love letter to our planet’s north and south poles, and an homage to a man whose life ended tragically during his last excursion.

In this photo memoir, with Foreword by Klaus’ widow, Martha Hochheim, Sarah Hodges-Kolinsynyk and David Babb assemble a collection of photographs commemorating the life and career of Dr. Hochheim. It is a love letter to our planet’s north and south poles, and an homage to a man whose life ended tragically during his last excursion. Klaus died in a helicopter crash in 2013, working in his beloved Arctic — land of the ice.

The book begins with his background story, an immigrant to Canada from Germany. His wife tells of the influence his father’s passion for photography had on his son, carrying through his life and career. Klaus was able to merge geography, physics and art in a way that made him an expert in the field of remote sensing (acquiring information about the earth without coming into contact with it). His journey began in the 1980s, pre-internet, at a time when a computer filled an entire room!

His early work involved using remote sensing techniques to predict the crop yields of wheat fields; very important in a province like Manitoba! He later began using his skills to help count at-risk northern species, such as beluga whales. He then began the arduous task of measuring thickness of sea ice – an important endeavour that has proven what scientists have feared- the planet is warming and our precious ice is being lost.

The photographs in this book are presently being exhibited at MHC Gallery in Winnipeg, Manitoba (until Aug 31, 2024). In the book, the photos are shown with no captions except place and date, leaving the viewer to experience the images without outside guidance. The images are often powerful and evocative, but sometimes playful, as we see in Klaus’ selfies (taken before selfies were a thing). He has an immense talent for photography, an artist’s eye, with his near-infrared pieces almost ethereal. Whether micro or macro (drone images), he always seems to capture the pure beauty of the ice.

In one particular image, there is a juxtaposition of scientific equipment (sans humans) and two penguins. It is both playful but sad- you want to walk into the photo and tell them it’s ok, these people are trying to help you.

Other photos make the devoted scientists seem more human- sharing a coffee break with their coworkers, sitting with a cigarette – not the image we expect when we think of laboratories and data collection. There is another image where Klaus is sharing his knowledge with a group of young students, reminding us the importance of knowledge-sharing. Storytelling and art go hand in hand with science, and Klaus seemed adept at connecting people with his work.

There are two side-by-side images of the Arctic that tell a heartbreaking story, without a word being written. Without being preachy, he shows how the passage of time has lead to a very different landscape, with more water and less ice. Like a good scientist, his photos present facts.

A favourite image of mine is one of a penguin, seemingly looking at a young scientist. The expression on her face is one of love. It is a hopeful photo — perhaps if more people connected with animals in this way, they would care more about habitat loss and inhospitable climates.

Few of us will ever have the opportunity to visit the Arctic or Antarctic. As the climate clock ticks, we might lose this experience completely, Klaus’s book will make you feel as though you got to sneak a peek into a magical place. Science interprets data; art connects souls. In this book, Klaus Hochheim shows us you can do both, and when you do, it’s extraordinary.

Photographer Dr. Klaus Hochheim, also a climatologist and ice researcher at the Centre for Earth Observation Science at the University of Manitoba, was born in 1958 and died in a helicopter crash in the Canadian Arctic in 2013.

Sarah Hodges-Kolisnyk is a curator and photographer, currently the Director of MHC Gallery at Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg.

Dr. David Babb studies sea ice and is a Research Associate at the Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba.

Publisher: CMU Press (June 2024)
Hardcover 11″ x 12″ | 96 pages
ISBN: 9781987986204

Dawn Mockler

Dawn is a multimedia artist best known for her cartoons drawn under the nom de plume, dawnymock. She was awarded the art award from Bathurst High School in 1984. She is a member of the Association of Canadian Cartoonists and CartoonStock.com. Her art has been included in Herné Bay Cartoon Fest, 1001 Visages in Val-David, Quebec, in Aislin’s book of favourite Covid cartoons, Vancouver Science World and in the Globe & Mail. Her art was exhibited at UNB's World Water Day. She has donated many drawings and paintings to local charities and school fundraisers. Her work is available on CartoonStock (dawnymock) and Twitter (@dawnymock). She lives in Fredericton, New Brunswick.