Ragnar Axelsson’s monochromatic photography chronicles the transformation of Arctic communities and their endangered traditions

Feb 13, 2026

February 13, 2026

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Having spent over four decades as a photojournalist for Iceland’s Morgunblaðið newspaper, Ragnar Axelsson brings a profound understanding of storytelling through imagery. His lens captures everyday moments alongside profound connections between humans and animals, creating a comprehensive narrative of life within Arctic communities. This journalistic foundation shapes his ability to document both the ordinary and extraordinary with equal attention to detail.

His latest publication, Where the World is Melting, extends this documentary approach to chronicle climate change’s profound effects across regions spanning from Greenland to Siberia. The collection presents stark monochromatic images of snow-blanketed landscapes and fog-shrouded coastlines, offering striking glimpses of ecosystems undergoing transformation. One particularly powerful photograph shows steam rising from Iceland’s Kötlujökull glacier as it melts, visually representing the environmental shifts occurring across these territories. The project centers on aging farmers, dog sled teams, and Indigenous communities confronting dramatic alterations to their ancestral lands and long-held customs, prompting questions about the future of traditional practices like reindeer herding in the tundra.

Published by Kehrer Verlag, the photobook coincides with an exhibition at Germany’s Ernst Leitz Museum in Wetzlar, running through May 2026. Axelsson emphasizes how individual photographs serve as fragments within a larger narrative puzzle, yet these pieces can illuminate broader truths about our changing world. His work demonstrates how focused documentation of specific moments can reveal comprehensive environmental realities affecting Arctic regions and the people who call them home.

More info: Website, Instagram (h/t: Colossal).