Last November, when clothing retailer Anthropologie launched an online exhibition space dubbed "The Anthropologist," a platform for artists whose works the company funds, it seemed neither here nor there, and the art was mostly dull. Now, with its latest project, by earth artist Jim Denevan, the caliber of the site really seems to be on the rise.

Posted this week, Denevan’s multimedia travelogue documents his creation of the world’s largest known artwork on the surface of Siberia's frozen Lake Baikal (the oldest and deepest lake on the planet), evoking the thrilling adventures of early Antarctic explorers. With the creation of this 9-square-mile snow drawing, Denevan broke his own 2009 largest-earthwork record, which he set in the Nevada desert.

For the Siberia piece, his team of eight included artist Meredith Danluck who will release a film about the journey later this year, and photographer Peter Hinson, whose images of the expedition range from candid documentation to truly stunning shots of the community and the area's staggering landscapes. Members of Denevan’s crew appear as modern-day Shackleton adventurers — complete with a cat, reminiscent of Shakleton’s feline, Mrs. Chippy — and faced their own share of snow-wrought trauma. At one point, when the team was partway through the task of sweeping snow into a vast pattern of perfect circles, the wind picked up and blew their efforts away — an experience even more frustrating than finding that the last remaining "Grasby Gardens Dress" ($348 at Anthropologie) isn't in your size. 

The Anthropologist’s next commission, will be a photo essay on fatherhood by artist Phillip Toledano. On the strength of Denevan's project, we'll be looking forward to it.