Melted was taken on a trip to Norway in 2018. The artist returned to a glacier in Briksdalsbre, which she had visited some years before. In the time between visits, the glacier had dwindled to less than half its original size. Nonetheless, the purity of its beauty remained, and tourists looked on in awe, unaware of the tragedy occurring before their eyes. The image is part of a wider portfolio of work that highlights the destructive and damaging behaviours of humanity, in which people feel the need to access and appreciate beauty, regardless of the costs to do so. Mitchell’s practice supports and acknowledges the growing consciousness of climate activism. Jessica Mitchell defines herself as a travel and fashion photographer. Her practice highlights humanity’s relationship with beauty and the negative effects that come from trying to define beauty and aesthetics in the wider world. Mitchell often focuses on the façade of consumerist ideals, as well as a sense of decay and artificial intervention with the natural world.
