Documentary IceBerg Riders now online

The documentary 'Iceberg Riders' now online on the SunGlacier website

( scroll down, right side of the pages )

 

IceBerg Riders on Zagreb Film Festival

We are honoured that 'IceBerg Riders' was part of the official selection for the Zagreb Film Festival

Selected for Zagreb Film Festival

We are proud to pronounce that IceBerg Riders is selected for the Zagreb Film Festival.
Have a look at: http://www.zagrebfilmfestival.com/index_en.php?page=d0&iz=fpf&fid=4958&lang=en

www.facebook.com/icebergriders

Trailer IceBerg Riders now online

Our documentary film: 'IceBerg Riders'

This weekend we worked at our film. Svebor, our director of edit, worked for months to view and edit 100's of hours of film, and has to reduce it to a 52 mnts doc. Believe me: To fullfill a project like this, you need skills that origin from out of this world. The rough edit will be completed in 1 month, and in this stage I already can announce that this unique and exciting story will rock the world. A team of excellent filmers/photographers worked for 4 years to get all shots and interviews. As everybody knows I believe in spontanious actions , less as possible organisation, of course no script, which all together will prove that a setting like this, that drived many people around me to madness, can lead to a completely unexpected but briliant result. Of course thanks to the help of a great and enthusiastic team!

Impression of artproject on TV

In a couple of weeks the new projects will be announced

Tragedy in Uummannaq

Last Sunday we got a phonecall from the Children' s Home in Uummannaq. Three young men are missing after an unexplainable accident. One of their youngsters together with some good friends and relatives.  Announcement in the Sermitsiaq newspaper:
Three men aged 17, 19 and 27 years are since Saturday morning missed and still not found. The police in Uummannaq is not actively looking for them anymore.

- 'We got a message on Saturday morning from the village Ikerasak that a boat was found, sailing in circles, without people in it. We went by helicopter to Ikerasak looking for them, but have not found them. Local people helped us with guiding and I know that some people are still looking for them. 'says managing director at the police Uummannaq Taitsiak Heilmann.
The boat was found 500 meters from the village, 42 km south of Uummannaq, a place with very strong currents and the upper half meter is fresh water. The fresh water makes you sink faster when you are in the water.
The police found some personal belongings in the water from those involved.
 
We express our deepest respect to their families, friends and everyone that is affected by this terrible loss.
Our sincere condolences,
 
Ap, Frank, Petra, Hans, Jan, Erik, Sander, Taco, Hessel, Patrick, Gert, Terry and Svebor.

Ap on BNR, VPRO, CBC, and OKalaKatiget Radio

Next wednesday, 9th of June, the first interview after the collapse of the iceberg, at BNR & VPRO radiostations in The Netherlands, start at 19:30.

Last week I was a guest at st'Johns Morning Show CBC, Canada & OKalaKatiget Radio in Nain, Canada. At that time the sculptures were still drifting through the Uummannaq Bay.

The Arctic Knights. Comments of Ap (2)

With the help of our good friends from Uummannaq we realised this unique project on a scale that nobody could expect. A small island in Greenland that shaked the whole world. From Canada, USA, Europe, Australia, upto complete Asia many TV stations put Uummannaq on the map. Hundreds of publications in all languages in newspapers and on internet. We never believed, when we started this project, that these results could be achieved.

The people in Uummannaq are one of the most brave in the world. Despite the problems they already have to cope with, they are recently confronted with an extreme changing climate. So extreme that their culture of fishing and hunting has to be adapted rapidly to these unexpected fast changes. If everybody would expect that this is a unhuman effort, not in Uummannaq, Greenland. People go for it! Their flexibility is unknown and therefore they will find their way. That's not an easy path, one paved with difficulties and huge problems. Since thousands of years Inuit have to adapt to new circumstances in hostile conditions, and the existence of a town like Uummannaq is the proof of success. The knights of the Arctic! When we started our project, two years ago, success couldn't be guaranteed, but local organisations as Uummannaq Polar Institute and many many people, like Ole Jorgen Hammeken believed in it and helped us to make it happen. That mentality is what Uummannaq makes it unique for the rest of the world. Uummannaq means: 'heart shaped'.

No iceberg anymore. Comments of Ap (1)

Can you believe that an iceberg like this one disappears in only a matter of weeks? Last week I interviewed my very good friend Ole Jorgen Hammeken, standing in the sun, sweating because of the heat, while normally they can go for dogsledding untill June. It raises some questions... The whole day and night you can hear icebergs exploding, or collapsing because of this heat. What is going on? I am an artist who travelled many times through the Arctic and every year it becomes warmer and warmer. I am not a scientist, but only listen to the stories that people tell me. I am not interested in the question: Who's guilty at this situation? Is there global warming? Not at all, I am asking the question: What if Climate Change enters my world: Can we anticipate on these fast changes? In Uummannaq the extremes started only a couple of years ago, and now it is warmer as ever before, with all consequences. I am personally convinced that we soon will experience what is happening over there, even if we only feel the tail. We need all energy and focuss on the future. My question is: How can we create a more flexible society? Climate Change is from all times, people always adapted to these changes, but are we now capable to cope with these extreme changes? We have to stop naming, blaming and shaming, and put this energy in another direction.

Iceberg disappeared, GPS signals from Satut. What happened?

In the very early morning, 2nd of June, we could see at our GPS tracker that something was going on. Later we noticed that our signal moved constantly to the South East faster than the iceberg ever moved , and then suddenly moved to the North into the settlement of Satut. At the very moment that something happened with the iceberg, the GPS system was taken into a fisherboat that continued fishing untill he finally went home. ( Ap's version )
We contacted our friends in Uummannaq, who took a boat to have a look, but they couldn't find our iceberg anymore. What happened we never will know. Too many options are open.
Is this the end of our artproject? We keep you updated!

World's most extraordinary water

We tapped two bottles of water of our own melting iceberg. I took them back home and they will be decanted into special designed bottles, as everlasting icons for this artproject. One of the bottles will be sold to finance my new artproject. (Photos by my good friend Dr. Wilfred E. Richard)

Arctic Apocalyps or Global Opportunities?

I just returned to The Hague after a spectacular voyage of discovery throught an unknown world and remote places with stories that the worldwide audience will touch and shock! In the next few days I will publish as much as possible. Next to that I will announce how our art project is caught for eternity. Cheer, Ap
For Canadian visitors of this webpage: I am 'live' on radio at CBC Newfoundland, 8:00 AM

Live from Uummannaq

The iceberg is melting really fast, because of it' s topspeed. The local people in Uummannaq are as enthusiastic as I am and join us to the iceberg. On the map it looks pretty close to UMQ, island, but they are already far away!
Something strange is going on the Uummannaq Bay: Last night the Uummannaq Bay filled itsselve with icebergs. Normally a happening for September........
The melting icebergs, cracking in pieces, is so loud that you even can hear it in your bed.
I don't have final plans for today, but leaving tomorrow.
I keep you posted, cheers, Ap

In the middle of the night

Yesterday we filmed at 24:00 sharp. The sun touched the horizon but didn't go down. A great experience! We noticed that our iceberg was leaning to one site, but after we returned form the old Inuit mummy graves at the other side of the fjord, it turned back again in the good position. Unbelievable that an iceberg get's a character. Greetings from Uummannaq, Temperature: T-shirt, full sunshine, no wind.

Sculptures are crossing Uummannaq

Today we went with a boat to film the departure of the sculptures towards the Baffin Bay. Because the camera shakes in the boat, we decided to place the camera on other icebergs, that also provided us fot ater of thousands of years old. Great weather, great pictures, what can I say more? Keep you updated,

cheers, Ap

Arrival in uummannaq

I just returned from our first trip to the floating iceberg. It' s great and unbelievable how fast it is drifting. The shape didn't change much during it's drift, so we believe it will travel for a long time. The bay is filled with icebergs, way many more than in March. It looks like the wind will slow down, so we return to film a good impression. I included a picture of the dreamteam of the Uummannaq Polar Institute. A great crew.
Tonight we plan to go to Uummanatsiaq and stay there for while. I never was in Greenland without snow, but now I know where the green is coming from: It has to be the colour of the water.
I keep you posted. Cheers, Ap

Ap on his way to Uummannaq

Really great! Tomorrow Ap is leaving to Uummannaq to see the drifting iceberg by himselve. The route of the iceberg is very special. It turned first backwards to it's glacier where it was born, said goodbye and is now drifting back to Uummannaq. It's froozen waterdrops on the side are as tears for starting it's exciting voyage to an unknown world. We received pictures from Dr. Will Richard and a clip from Sara Svarta Sorensen, that are really cool! Of course Ap will send updates of this special trip, as internet connections allow.

THE SCULPTURES ARE DRIFTING!

The moment everybody waited for has arrived: The sculptures are drifting!. Please have a look at: http://www.coolemotion.org/art-on-the-map-temp.html ( maybe you first have to install the plug-in )
Ole Jorgen Hammeken, together with his wife Ann Andreasen, our both bestest friends, immediately took a boat and sent us the pictures. THANKS! We are more than excited where the voyage will go.
As you can see, the start was going deeper into the bay, but now they are on their way back to Uummannaq, hopefully soon in Baffin Bay. Shortly new posts will arrive. We keep you in touch.

Iceberg still stuck

Despite 2 huge storms, some neighbour icebergs that turned over and floated away, our iceberg is still stuck. So everybody is free to send in new predictions when it starts to drift.

'The angle between earth and the sun changed'

Since I travel through the Arctic, I ask people what's their explanation for climate change. Some of the older hunters, who rely on the position of the sun for reasons of navigation, have an answer I never could explain: 'The angle between earth and the sun changed'. I got this answer many times in all different places.

Last week I read an article from a Belgian journalist who interviewed a hunter in Gjoa Haven, Northern Canada, and he told her the same answer: 'The angle of the sun changed'. I couldn't resist and contacted a friend of mine who next week will receive his Ph.D. in astronomy. His response was overwhelming: he asked me if I had a brain collapse. The angle between earth and the sun didn't change, and never will in the next thousands of years!
I can't get it out of my mind. Did the composition of atmospheric gasses change so that the breaking angle changed? I still don't have an explanation, but am sure that something changed. Who knows the answer?

Video of iceberg movement on 28th of April

cool(E)motion presentation for Ambassadors in Des Indes

The Danish Ambassador, H.E. Kirsten Malling Biering, invited Ap Verheggen to present project CE in attendance of the Canadian Ambassador H.E. Jim Wall, the Spanish Ambassador H.E. Juan Prat y Coll, the Ambassador of Finland H.E. Klaus Korhonen, and the Ambassador of Sweden, H.E. Hans Magnusson.  Ap showed the presentation about the Uummannaq project and explained his mission regarding climate change. It made a deep impression how the people of the most beautiful Arctic spot in the world: Uummannaq, have to cope with a changing climate. Next to that Ap told about the Uummannaq Children's Home and the sunglasses project.
After all ambassadors told how climate change has it's impact in each country, it showed the need that project cool(E)motion has to continue.
Thanks to the support and hospitality of Des Indes: Pierre-Henri Bosovers & Ben Hardeman, it was a great success.

Live picture from Uummannaq

Our iceberg seems to be the one that has a short delay of starting it's spectacular voyage. Our good friend Bertrand Lozay just send us a 'live' picture. I keep the departure date on the 28th of April.  (high tide) If you have other predictions, please let it know.

Neighbour icebergs started their Arctic trip. Exciting!

picture on 17th of April

Picture on 18th of April

Ap on the Dutch radio: VPRO, De Avonden

Tonight, in the first hour of VPRO radio, De Avonden, channel 6, at 19:00, an interview with Ap Verheggen - cool(E)motion Project. More info: press here

When do the sculptures start their trip?

That's the question. The iceberg is stuck on a line of rocks under water. It needs high tide and wind to push it over. If I have a look at the tidestable, the best possible answer is: wednesday, the 28th of April. ( see tide calendar ) If you have another prediction: please let it know!

Photo from Tiina Itkonen, made from helicopter

On behalve of the cool(E)motion team and the Uummannaq Polar Insitute we wish everybody a great Easter.

The iceberg is turning!

Have a look at our webcam and compare the right corner with the iceberg behind. It's turning! When will it start to float? We don't know, but come back on http://www.coolemotion.org/ and have a look. Who will send the first mail to announce the start?

cool(E)motion on MSNBC

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Dutch News special (NOS)

Reuters video reports

We finally succeeded!

The sculptures are placed on the iceberg. Our first plan of going by dogsledges to the iceberg and place them on top was impossible. The sea ice is so bad that even our project seems to be overruled by the fast changing nature. I joined a couple of hunters untill the foot of the icecap, but even there we couldn' t trust the circumstances. Therefore we had to change our plan and put the sculptures with a helicopter on an iceberg that is very near to the village of Uummannaq. As we noticed the locals also can' t trust nature anymore. Normally the white plains are filled with dogsledges but now it is empty.


Thanks to our great team and the help of many local people, including the children of the Children's Home, we succeeded in making the art project. It was a very great experience standing on the iceberg, releasing the sculptures with in the background the famous mountains of Uummannaq. The sculptures look great! The voyage of the sculptures started as we could see that the iceberg already moved this morning.