HMS Protector has recently facilitated an extraordinary artistic endeavour.

Artist Polly Townsend joined the crew of HMS Protector, transforming her experiences into stunning visual art, which is now on display following her Antarctic voyage.

The Royal Navy say in a press release that the Plymouth-based icebreaker picked up Townsend in the Falkland Islands, crossing the daunting Drake’s Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula.

They also say that this journey provided Townsend unique access to some of the world’s most remote and inaccessible landscapes, all made possible by the support of the Royal Navy and HMS Protector.

During her five-week residency supported by the Friends of Scott Polar Research Institute, Townsend was given an unconventional studio space in the ship’s crow’s nest. From this vantage point, she enjoyed 360-degree views, shielded from the harsh Antarctic weather, which allowed her to work from dawn till dusk without other responsibilities.

In addition to providing a platform for artistic creation, HMS Protector also played a crucial role in delivering conservation supplies to Port Lockroy and Detaille Island.

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Lisa has a degree in Media & Communication from Glasgow Caledonian University and works with industry news, sifting through press releases in addition to moderating website comments.
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Farouk
Farouk
15 hours ago

Always enjoyed trying to find the mouse in Terence Cuneos paintings.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
14 hours ago
Reply to  Farouk

Likewise. I’m an artist myself, and I do something similar.

Bazza
Bazza
15 hours ago

Why does this website write the date wrong, is the owner American or something like that?

SailorBoy
SailorBoy
11 hours ago
Reply to  Bazza

I’ve always thought that if you write the month out, eg “April 24” it didn’t matter which way round it was because it was obvious which was the day.