In Iceland, winter ends in March. At the same time, the number of coronavirus cases began to peak around the world. The cases rose in Iceland as well, but the number paled in comparison to those in hot spots such as the United States, China and Italy. Because Iceland took an aggressive approach to combat the virus, including the use of widespread testing, contact tracing and social distancing, its death toll has remained low. As of this writing, 10 deaths from covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, have been recorded there.
“There's a comfort to driving the Icelandic Ring Road in knowing that the road that takes you away will lead you back home again as long as you carry on. On the radio, George Harrison is singing, 'All things must pass.' ”
Icelandic photographer Ragnar Axelsson is known for photographing the people, animals and landscapes in the most remote regions of the Arctic, including Iceland, Siberia and Greenland. He explores the relationships between the people of the Arctic and their extreme environment, and how they are affected by climate change. Earlier this year, Axelsson was inspired to travel the Iceland Ring Road to photograph it during the last days of winter and document how drastically the coronavirus pandemic had changed its landscape as Icelanders hunkered down and sheltered in place.
The Iceland Ring Road runs along the outer edge of the entire island and is frequented by tourists during spring, summer and fall. People are drawn to its beautiful black sand beaches, geysers, ice caves and waterfalls. And if they are lucky, they can also be treated to spectacular views of the Northern Lights.
The weather along the road this winter was fierce, but Axelsson thrives in adverse conditions. Indeed, some of his favorite photos were taken in the rough weather. For two days, Axelsson traveled the road, encountering very few cars and even fewer people. In fact, he saw more animals out and about — mostly horses, sheep and reindeer.
Of the experience, Axelsson told In Sight: “I drove around 1,200 miles, and it was like being alone in the world, not knowing if anybody was alive on planet Earth. I had never seen Iceland like that before. … I love winter in Iceland. Some days you can experience many types of weather every 15 minutes. I have driven the Ring Road in Iceland many times, and usually there are people wherever you go. It was a strange feeling — where did the rest of the world go? Am I alone in the world? I slept in my car, and in my dreams there were people around. When I woke up, nobody was there.”
Axelsson’s stark black-and-white photos underscore the barrenness and loneliness he felt during his trip. But they also show that Earth can thrive, even in the roughest times.
