Under the title 'Arctic Heroes', the Leica Gallery Düsseldorf is presenting works by Icelandic photographer Ragnar Axelsson from 10 November 2023 to 29 February 2024. On display is an impressive series of black and white photographs that not only capture the majestic beauty of the Arctic, but also draw attention to the dramatic effects of climate change in this region. Axelsson was shortlisted for the prestigious Leica Oskar Barnack Award for this series in 2020.

Ragnar Axelsson, a renowned nature and reportage photographer, is known for his outstanding work in the most remote regions of the Arctic. He has been documenting the lives of people, animals and the breathtaking landscapes of Greenland, Iceland and Siberia for over 40 years. With a Leica camera in his hand, his passion for photography began at a young age. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to capture the unique relationships between creatures and nature in the Arctic - a region that is being challenged by climate change in unprecedented ways. The summer sea ice and glaciers of the North, the Earth's refrigerator that maintains a tolerable temperature level, are receding. "There is no doubt in my mind that the drastic changes in the Arctic will be the biggest problem on the planet in the coming years," says the photographer.

The exhibition is a tribute to the sled dogs, which Axelsson regards as true heroes of the north. His photographs show the sled dogs in their elementary role and emphasise the connection between man and animal in this unique environment.

Ragnar Axelsson describes his Arctic expeditions as an intense experience: "Imagine waking up one morning in the northernmost settlement in the world - in the middle of winter, the night is pitch black. The barking of a lone dog breaks the silence. It is bitterly cold outside. The village itself seems to be asleep. No one is awake or out and about. The howling multiplies as the village dogs wake each other up." This atmosphere draws viewers into the fascinating world of the Arctic.

The motifs in this impressive black-and-white series were created between 1987 and 2019, photographed with various Leica cameras; the most recent images were taken with a Leica SL, a Leica SL2 and a Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246).

About Ragnar Axelsson

Ragnar Axelsson (RAX) was born near Reykjavík in 1958. He borrowed his first Leica camera from his father at the age of ten. At 18, he began his career as a photographer for the Icelandic newspaper Morgunblaðið and has since documented people, animals and landscapes in the most remote regions of Greenland, Iceland and Siberia. His simple black and white images capture the elemental human experience in nature at the edge of the habitable world. His pictures have been published in "Life", "Geo", "Polka", "Newsweek", "Stern" and "Time", among others. He has also published numerous books: "Faces of the North" (2004, new edition 2015), "Last Days of the Arctic" (2010), "Behind the Mountains" (2013), "Glacier" (2018). He received an honourable mention at the Leica Oskar Barnack Award in 2001.

The exhibition "Arctic Heroes" can be seen from 10 November 2023 to 29 February 2024 from Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Leica Gallery Düsseldorf in the KÖ Galerie (Königsallee 60). Admission is free.