The world turns its gaze toward the Arctic. Nowhere are the signs of climate change more visible; here global warming already affects the day-to-day lives of the local people. Still the circumpolar Arctic is one of the most disputed territories on Earth, with many nations laying claim to the mining and oil rights of the area as the sea ice retreats. For thousands of years the Inuit have built their communities based upon a sensitive understanding of the land and the frozen ocean, but rapid social and environmental change threatens their traditional way of life. The hunters of the North are a dying breed. This is the twilight of their society.
Ragnar Axelsson has been travelling to the Arctic for almost three decades, drawn by a deep respect for the hunting communities of northern Greenland and Canada. His images have won him recognition as one of the most accomplished documentary photographers of our time. This remarkable body of work is finally brought together to present a unique record of the daily life and culture of some of the most remote communities in the world.
The first edition of Last Days of the Arctic, published in 2010, won critical acclaim worldwide and quickly sold. A documentary of the same name, co-produced by BBC4, ARTE, and several other international partners, was broadcast in more than 10 countries. This new edition includes previously unpublished material and extra information on the background of the photographs. This body of work has been praised as something of a modern classic, rightly commended for its portrayal of a people and their land.
Ragnar "RAX" Axelsson has worked as an international photojournalist for the past three decades. Highly acclaimed, he has been honoured as Icelandic Photographer of the Year on four occasions. His work has appeared in Stern, The New York Times, Le Figaro, Newsweek, Time magazine and National Geographic. In conjunction with the release of Last Days of the Arctic, Saga Film is completing a documentary for the BBC based on his evocative photographic journey among the people of the North.