Across the Denmark Strait

Other than Australia (which, as a continent, doesn’t really count), Greenland is the largest island in the world. Enveloped almost entirely by ice, however, Greenland is anything but ‘green’. In this special Eyes series, photographer Alisha Gore navigates the country’s largely uninhabited east coast, documenting a loaded, untamed landscape while meditating on the value of a life without distraction.

I’ll admit to not knowing very much about Greenland before deciding to embark on an expedition cruise that would take me down its eastern coast, aside from the fact that greenery of any kind is very rarely seen at all.

It’s a country so far removed from the rest of the world that sometimes it feels as if you’re on another planet; a place where time stands still and silence is abundant. Zero access to a phone or wi-fi signal was a detox of the best kind and allowed me to really ‘see’ and appreciate the beauty around me with no distractions.

Despite the freezing climate in the remote town of Ittoqqortoormiit on Greenland’s east coast, I discovered an environment teeming with vibrancy – something I didn’t initially expect to find.

I started to notice the colours and textures of my immediate environment being reflected in the buildings dotted around the tiny fishing town: the reds and oranges of the ground cover and moss, the cool hues in the small shards of rock, and the greens and blues of the ocean – all utilised to distinguish the purpose of each building.

What started off as documentation of the landscapes spanning from Svalbard (an island to Norway’s north) to Greenland and Iceland ended up becoming an exercise in appreciating the little details that make life beautiful.

Thanks to Alisha Gore for letting us in on her trip to Greenland through her evocative photography and accompanying thoughts and musings. Find more of Alisha’s work over at her website: www.alishagore.com.