Headlines of climate change now permeate news cycles across the globe, often paired with shocking images of wildfires, floods, and melting glaciers. Perhaps these visuals are effective at conveying the dire situation of ecological systems, but they portray tangible areas of the land around us that can be studied visually. When it comes to the atmospheric aspects of environmental change, images are often limited to aerosols, namely smog over cities or haze extending from wildfires. However, the atmosphere is both a cause and an effect of climate change, and the chemistry behind these roles is visually imperceptible. While scientists may be able to convey their findings in words, images are emotionally compelling and are even able to invoke past experiences – thus creating new ways of relating with and understanding the natural world around us. Art makes the invisibility of atmospheric chemistry visible. 

Over the past two years, Halleckson has been embedded within a scientific research team as they study forest interactions with the atmosphere. Researchers from the University of Minnesota, Colorado State University, and Indiana University gathered measurements during a research field campaign at the Manitou Experimental Forest in Colorado in August – September 2021. These researchers aimed to study the exchange between coniferous forest and global atmospheric chemistry.

Creating a body of artwork in tandem with this research project has provided a prompt for experiencing their own investigations through a new perspective and is helping to bring their findings to the public beyond the academic community.

Art Crawl Public Reception - Friday, October 21 at 4:00 PM.

For more information: paramountarts.org