While the debate about the causes for global warming rages on, renown Halifax-based photographer Yassine Ouhilal has proof positive that warming is indeed taking place in the Arctic.

On Friday, March 12, Ouhilal will be opening an exhibit of his Thawscapes collection at Halifax’s Argyle Fine Art, 1869 Upper Water St. On display will be a series of exquisite limited edition, pure pigment on watercolour prints along with select, unique edition pieces.

Thawscapes explores Ouhilal’s deep interest in Arctic geology. The landscapes which appear in the collection are new, revealed for the first time by rapidly receding glaciers.

“At first I was unaware of how quickly global warming was altering the Arctic landscape,” said Ouhilal. “Now, with the second warmest year in a row on record, the changes are accelerating exponentially.

“Some of the glaciers I visited are disappearing at incredible rates and will be gone in our lifetime. Upon this realization, I experienced mixed feelings of awe at the beauty of these ancient glaciers last dance and sadness at the stark reality that in a very near future, my images will be the only testament of where these glaciers once stood.”

Thawscapes is at once frightening for its bleak reality about our frail ecosystem and haunting in its capture of earth’s shifting natural beauty.

A opening reception for Ouhilal’s Thawscapes exhibit will take place on Friday from 7:00-9:00 p.m. Live music will be performed by Montreal’s thisquietarmy. A short film will be presented during the opening.

Ouhilal’s classically trained aesthetic has brought him worldwide success as a photographer with editorial work in dozens of publications, including Outside Magazine, The National Post, GQ and The Surfer’s Journal.

He has also received accolades for a recent short film titled Arctic Surf, a chronicle of an adventure of epic proportions in search of un-surfed waves in remote Arctic regions. The film was featured at the Atlantic Film Festival last September.

Ouhilal’s commercial clients include the likes of Eddie Bauer, Quiksilver and more. His artwork resides in private and public collections in over a dozen countries. (Join Yassine Ouhilal Photography on Facebook by clicking here)