Clouds are inextricably woven into the fabric of culture and survival. This is particularly true in Portland, where the clouds hold a mythic influence over the city. Clouds affect the industries, architecture, fashion, and food of Portland, as well as the moods and other behaviors of the city’s inhabitants.
Based on the first taxonomy of clouds, the International Cloud Atlas (1896), Ben Young and Gary Robbins’ new book Clouds exists at the intersection of art, meteorology, and design. The images in Clouds were created by photographing sculptures representing cloud formations as described by the Atlas. Although that original book now dwells in relative obscurity, it is the most extensive document ever produced dedicated to the description of clouds.
Join us of for the release of Clouds, where you can purchase copies of the book, view a sculpture used in the production of the guide, and see an original edition of the International Cloud Atlas.
Clouds was made possible through an Individual Artist Grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council.