Melt

Nikolaus Geyrhalter positions his camera in places around the world where snow and ice are central to human existence—from Antarctica, Iceland, Canada and Japan to the French Alps and the highest glaciers in Austria and Switzerland. His expansive, static shots and breathtaking drone footage capture these majestic places to reveal myriad forms of snow and ice. And experts show how the same diversity exists at the microscopic level—no two snowflakes are alike, after all.

The inhabitants of these regions, as well as the people working with these elements, know all too well how profoundly the landscapes are changing, and how they may in time disappear altogether. The ice caves in Iceland steadily retreat, even as snow cannons on French slopes keep the skiing dream alive.

In his 2019 film Earth, Geyrhalter showed humanity around the world digging into the earth and trying to control the land; here he explores our relationship to the wintry elements. Interwoven with breathtaking images in every shade of white, gray and silver, they tell their urgent story.