Pushing the Limits of Mobility
Roald Amundsen and the Age of Polar Exploration
At the turn of the 19th Century, there were few undiscovered territories left on our planet. However, two elusive areas remained unconquered by man – the North Pole and the Antarctic Continent.
The Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen conquered both by embracing traditional modes of transport in arctic landscapes and by utilising modern aviation technology.
Amundsen’s ability to apply knowledge from the indigenous peoples on the rim of the Arctic Ocean whilst employing all other available means of communication enabled his expeditions to push the limits of human exploration further than ever before.
This exhibition examines how technological developments changed the premise of human mobility in the most remote areas of our planet.
The four sections discuss – the experience Amundsen acquired on his first encounter with the Antarctic (The Belgica) – how he learned from the indigenous peoples of the Arctic (Masters of the Arctic) – Amundsen’s pioneering use of aviation (Pioneers of the Skies) – and how this technology finally enabled him to cross the Arctic (Conquering the Arctic Ocean).
Pushing the Limits of Mobility was created by the Follo Museum/Museums in Akershus, who is responsible for the stewardship of Roald Amunden’s House.
It was made as an exhibition for the European Mobility Week 2019 and was presented at the BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels, Belgium.
