Glacier tongue

Glacier tongue by Branwell Roberts

To tell the story of a glacier I chose words not only for their literal meaning but also how they might mimic the sonic qualities of a glacier, embodied through speech. I accompanied the words with collage video elements. This was my first time using stop motion, and the combination of words and visuals is something I want to revisit in my future creative practice.

It was refreshing to move away from human engagement on the Antarctic continent and consider (and reconsider) thestories of the ice itself.

Branwell Roberts is a poet and PhD candidate at the University of Tasmania. For their thesis they are producing a collection of poems about Antarctic history.

This story was made through a series of online workshops led by the University of Oxford from September-November 2025, produced by Dr Katherine Collins and Dr Joanna Wheeler, supported by the John Fell Fund. Branwell created this story where they live and work: Nipaluna/Hobart in Lutruwita/Tasmania, the unceded lands of the Muwinina and Palawa people.

The script of Glacier tongue is also available as a pdf

Roberts, Branwell (2026). Glacier tongue. University of Oxford. Media. https://doi.org/10.25446/oxford.32033982