a blue moment
Iceland & Svalbard
2026
Director & Writer
Alyssa Martens
Art & Movement Director
Damian Siqueiros
Cinematographer & Colourist
Max Machado
Composer & Field Recordist
Bernardo Alvarado Rojas
Film Editor
Ashley Gilmour
Dancers
Íris Ásmundar, Alejandro Bencomo, and Sally Cowdin
Voices
Rachel August, Liv Elísabet, and Alyssa Martens
Aerial Videographer & Conservation Specialist
Phil Garcia
Creative Accessibility Consultant
Kay Slater
Research and creation was made possible with the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts and consultation with leading Arctic scientists and Indigenous knowledge keepers. Special thanks to:
Kim Holmén – Arctic Climatologist, Norwegian Polar Institute
Christopher Burns – Arctic Geographer, Carleton University
Gregory Hare – Glacial Archaeologist, Yukon University
Jenni Laiti – Sámi Artivist & Duojár (Master of Traditional Sámi Crafts)
a blue moment is a 17-minute multimedia installation (film, dance, immersive sound, poetry) designed for a triptych multiscreen display. The work addresses the loss of Arctic landscapes through poetic imagery and empathic storytelling. a blue moment has been mindfully crafted through socioecological and regenerative processes that have direct impact on the land and its participating communities.
From 2016-2025, director Alyssa Martens embedded herself across high-Arctic regions, including Svalbard, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Canada, attending the largest annual gathering of Arctic scientists and consulting subject specialists to uncover the fragile story of an Arctic facing ecological loss and damage. a blue moment is a translation of Martens’ research into an immersive and poetic narrative, captured by cinematographer Max Machado within Iceland’s first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Under the art and movement direction of Damian Siqueiros, dancers Íris Ásmundar, Sally Cowdin and Alejandro Bencomo vivify the experiences of soil, water, and sky—interpreting these elemental forces in intimate ways. The enveloping, sonic atmosphere was composed by Bernardo Alvarado Rojas and features poetic voice-overs by Rachel August, Liv Elísabet, and Alyssa Martens.
The immersive short film accompanies a collection of poems and photos, which is forthcoming in publication under the same title in 2026.
The creation of a blue moment was made possible thanks to three funding streams from the Canada Council for the Arts: Research & Creation, Concept to Realization, and Circulation and Touring.
HOSTING THE WORK
IMMERSIVE TRIPTYCH DISPLAY
a blue moment is designed for a 3-screen display and can be arranged across 1 or 3 gallery walls – immersing the audience within Arctic ecosystems and sounds.
The images to the left are example mock-ups.
TECH RIDER
Ceiling, 3 pipe-suspended projectors
Computer or media player with 3 HDMI/Thunderbolt ports and a graphics card to support three screens
5.1 spatial sound setup (5 speakers, 1 subwoofer)
3 plinths