A New Winter
A New Winter
Skiing has been prominent in human culture for thousands of years, starting as far back as 6000 B.C. as a practical mode of transportation in the winter across China, Russia, and Europe. With the invention of ski resorts, the end of WWII and the influx of Europeans and Americans traveling to each other’s countries skiing transformed from a mode of transportation to a leisure activity. But as skiing grew in popularity it became commercialized, which led to inequity and exclusivity. Socioeconomic factors, segregation and racism influenced who was able to participate in the sport, which was almost exclusively a well-off caucasian demographic. Through re-creating historic ski images with BIPOC models, this project reimagines skiing’s beginnings and invites the viewer to question what skiing would be like today if all were included from the start and inspires a more inclusive future.
With this project, we aim to reimagine history and redefine winter culture. If we don’t confront the racist origins of skiing, we can not fully understand the issues with diversity and inclusion in skiing today. Social justice is climate justice. The more we can confront and accept the origins of exclusivity in skiing, the more inclusive we can be today and the more people we can welcome into winter sports and invite to care about outdoor recreation and climate.
