Stephen Vaughan: Ultima Thule — Impressions Gallery

Stephen Vaughan:
Ultima Thule

Travel to the limits of the norther frontier, and explore the connections between geology, archaeology and history.

The exhibition takes its title from Ultima Thule, a term used in ancient history to describe the mysterious northern frontier, representing a distant unknown region at the extreme limit of exploration and discovery. Vaughan’s work is inspired by the actual voyage made 2,300 years ago by the Greek explorer Pytheas, who travelled to the edge of the then known world beyond Britain, towards Iceland and the Arctic Circle.

Over four years Vaughan revisited the Icelandic landscape, to sites that are the nearest equivalent on Earth to the surfaces of the Moon and Mars, and which were used for training lunar astronauts. His work links Pytheas’ ancient voyage of discovery to the present day and the persistent human urge to explore unknown territory.

Using a cumbersome large-format Gandolfi camera, Vaughan made richly detailed, monumental studies of this otherworldly region. These awe-inspiring images reveal landscapes marked by volcanic activity, shifting tectonic plates, vast glaciers and steaming, sulphurous pools.

Vaughan says, “My photographs depict some of the rawest and youngest surfaces on Earth, allowing the viewer to imagine the prehistoric beginnings of the landscape, void of any human presence or history.”

Ultima Thule was part funded by The National Lottery through Arts Council England and The University of Plymouth.

From the series Ultima Thule
Untitled from Ultima Thule 2004-2007 © Stephen Vaughan
From the series Ultima Thule
Untitled from Ultima Thule 2004-2007 © Stephen Vaughan
From the series Ultima Thule
Untitled from Ultima Thule 2004-2007 © Stephen Vaughan
From the series Ultima Thule
Untitled from Ultima Thule 2004-2007 © Stephen Vaughan
From the series Ultima Thule
Untitled from Ultima Thule 2004-2007 © Stephen Vaughan
From the series Ultima Thule
Untitled from Ultima Thule 2004-2007 © Stephen Vaughan

Artist

  • Stephen Vaughan: Ultima Thule — Impressions Gallery

    Stephen Vaughan

    Stephen Vaughan gained an MA in Photography from the University of Brighton in 2006. Ultima Thule was first shown at Impressions Gallery, Bradford, in Spring 2008. Vaughan’s previous projects include Opened Landscape: Lindow, Tollund, Grauballe, which resulted in a nomination for the Santa Fe Prize for Photography and was exhibited at Photofusion Gallery, London, Picture House, Leicester, 2005 and Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, Oregon, 2005. He is currently Senior Lecturer in Photography at Bath School of Art & Design and a Member of the Research Centre for Environmental Humanities, Bath Spa University. https://stephenvaughan.co.uk