Over the last two decades, the Arctic permafrost has lost one meter of ground each year. As it melts, it uncovers carcasses from the Pleistocene Epoch. Buried in ice for millennia, these frozen bodies appear remarkably well preserved from time and material decay, sometimes maintaining fur, skin, and internal organs intact.

Jarkov is a complete woolly mammoth who died 20,000 years ago. Upon discovery, instead of being excavated, he was removed as a single, solid mass along with the surrounding soil. As a result, the mammoth remains are encased in a block of permafrost, only displaying visible patches of skin and hair on the surface, as well as two tusks protruding from it.

Carved from the permafrost in northern Siberia, an underground tunnel houses the 23-ton block containing Jarkov. The frozen subterranean cavern maintains a constant temperature of -12 °C year-round, preventing the block from thawing.


Commissioned and produced by Fondazione In Between Art Film for the exhibition Canicula, curated by Alessandro Rabottini and Leonardo Bigazzi.
Co-produced by the Mori Art Museum.
Produced with additional financial support from the Mondrian Fund.

Director | Maya Watanabe
Sound designer | Robin Rimbaud - Scanner
Line producer | Nicolay Bem
Cinematography | Arthur Sokolov
Editing | Maya Watanabe
Color correction | Alejandro Armaleo
VFX | Outer-313

Thanks to Mamont Inn, Sebastián Díaz Morales, Issa Watanabe, Stéphanie Noach, Anya Bitkina, Musuk Nolte, Arsenio Outekhine, Mikhail Zheleznikov, Kathleen Forde, Dick Mol, Nicole Wolf, Kodwo Eshun, Mercedes Azpilicueta, Sara Gianini, Katia Krupennikova, Mieke Bal, Ernst van Alphen, Milo Watanabe Díaz Morales, Tegenboschvanvreden (NL) and 80mts Livia Benavides gallery (PE).