Weather Permitting
Jennifer Gabrys and Kathryn Yusoff
Weather Permitting attempts to use the arts to communicate the significant impact of scientific research on climate change to wider audiences. They have undertaken fieldwork in locations as diverse as the Arctic and Antarctic to the Mojave Desert in California.
Creative contribution
What was the significant innovation in approach or thinking behind the project/artwork? How can this be recognisably attributed to the involvement of creative practice?
Weather Permitting is a collaborative practice that has generated written work; innovative fieldwork, archival and survey methods; art/design ‘objects'; and presentations.
The project consists of six research areas: weather and the technological sublime, atmospherics and the shifting spaces of the skies, weather histories, weather gardens, climatic extremes at the zero mark and the effects of weather disasters.
The project has established field laboratories focused on the communication of climactic data from Polar Regions from the Artic to the Antarctic and from Iceland to the Mojave Desert. The purpose of the labs was to work in situ, in real time, with meteorologists actively engaged in gathering climactic data.
"Weather Permitting employs creative practice both within methods and outcomes. The projects developed to date by Weather Permitting are not restricted to ‘creative practice,' however, and encompass research and theory. In this sense, the project seeks to expand definitions of creative practice, while also engaging in creative practice to explore climate change, arts and environment." Jennifer Gabrys and Kathryn Yusoff (written response to this survey)
Collaboration
What were the disciplinary contributors to the project? What model of research / development was followed? What were factors leading to success / problems?
A project conducted by Kathryn Yusoff and Jennifer Gabrys, two researchers with experience in geography, communications and landscape art.
The disciplinary background contributing to Weather Permitting includes geography, communications, landscape art, design, and ecology.
"Models of research are specific to projects undertaken, with fieldwork forming an important part of developing live data for most projects; archival materials, literature reviews and surveys contributing to others. Projects that are more explicitly practice-based (e.g., "Forecast Factory") have followed a creative practice method, from concept development to construction, but have also included more traditional methods of archival research and theoretical development." Jennifer Gabrys and Kathryn Yusoff (written response to this survey)
Values
What were the outcomes of the project?
How were these disseminated to outside stakeholders?
What models of value are implied by this project?
What was the Impact of the work?
The research findings are disseminated via a website (seen as a critical portal to the general public), a bi-annual academic conference and publication targeted toward decision makers.
Weather Permitting were commissioned for the exhibition Bipolar, show at the Society of Antiquaries, alongside Anne Brodie. Here they presented Forecast Factory: Snow Globes and Climate Change, part of a project investigating the phenomena of weather.
Weather Permitting projects have circulated as written documents (e.g., Documenta 12 Magazines project); as art ‘objects' exhibited at a book launch (e.g., "Forecast Factory" exhibited at the BiPolar book launch, Royal Society of Antiquaries, in association with Arts Catalyst); and as a forthcoming manuscript (Zero Degrees) that explores creative practice in relation to climate change and climate science.
"Models of value in most cases are developed in relation to the diverse audiences that assemble (across arts and sciences) and conversations and new practices that develop through Weather Permitting projects. Value is evaluated according to generative criteria--where projects can be catalysts for new and related investigations--rather than more traditional metrics." Jennifer Gabrys and Kathryn Yusoff (written response to this survey)
Links and Resources
