Sanne Moedt and Floortje Zonneveld
Left: Floortje Zonneveld, photo: Angel Valiente. Right: Sanne Moedt, photo: Floortje Zonneveld
In residence: April - May 2025
Ecologist Sanne Moedt and artist Floortje Zonneveld come from different disciplines, but their work converges in a shared passion for the Arctic—its landscapes, ecosystems, and the stories embedded within them. Their collaboration, Shadowing Without a Sunset, bridges scientific research and artistic storytelling, making Arctic science more accessible through creative engagement.
They first met in August 2022 aboard the Noorderlicht, a small expedition ship in Svalbard. Sanne was aboard as a guest scientist, conducting field research, while Floortje, the expedition leader, was guiding the journey. Their conversations during that voyage sparked the idea for a project that would not only document Arctic research but also bring its stories to life for a wider audience.
Sanne Moedt is an ecologist specialising in Arctic aquatic ecosystems and their response to environmental change. She holds a PhD in Biology from the University of Copenhagen and has conducted extensive research in Svalbard and Greenland, focusing on primary producers—phytoplankton and microalgae—that form the foundation of freshwater ecosystems. Using microscopy and laboratory techniques, she examines the hidden structures of these microbial communities and their critical role in Arctic biodiversity. Alongside her research, Sanne is an educator, teaching Polar Biology at DIS Study Abroad and lecturing at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS). Whether in the lab, in the field, or in the classroom, her work is about revealing the invisible forces that shape Arctic ecosystems.
Floortje Zonneveld is an artist and expedition leader working with time-based and participatory projects across remote Nordic regions, including Svalbard, Norway, Greenland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. She collaborates with communities to re-explore their landscapes through shared storytelling, transforming local experiences into immersive artistic narratives. As a certified Arctic Nature Guide, Floortje has spent years leading journeys through the polar environment, using creative engagement to strengthen connections between people, place, and ecological change. She is a longtime collaborator with Artica Svalbard, having led multiple community-driven projects, including Future Community Garden, The Slow Adventure: A Year Without Trees, and Havet Bringer. Her work consistently seeks to bridge disciplines, inviting artists, scientists, and communities into a shared process of exploration.
During their residency at Artica Svalbard, Sanne and Floortje will develop Shadowing Without a Sunset, an immersive, participatory project that transforms Arctic science into an interactive experience. Through a series of workshops, they will invite local youth to explore a curated three-dimensional archive of scientific research—videos, photographs, maps, objects, and field materials—collected from Arctic expeditions. Participants will be encouraged to engage with these materials in open-ended ways, blending science and art to create their own narratives about Svalbard’s environment.
By making Arctic research tangible and personal, the project fosters curiosity and deeper engagement with the region’s fragile ecosystems. Through storytelling, artistic interpretation, and hands-on exploration, Shadowing Without a Sunset offers a fresh perspective on the Arctic—not just as a place of scientific study, but as a landscape rich with evolving stories, connections, and meaning.
This residency and project is supported by:
