Keweenaw Observing Station (2021-ongoing) collaboration with Aly Ogasian
Keweenaw Observing Station is a collaborative multimedia artwork with Aly Ogasian that examines the effect of climate change on Lake Superior and the Great Lakes System. The work consists of a series of site-responsive, portable sculptures that function as observational stations/instrumentation as well as repositories of information. These sculptures are inspired by local NOAA monitoring systems, such as the Great Lakes Water Levels Monitoring Network. The instruments poetically measure wind, waves, visibility, water level, and temperature, exploring both the possibilities and limitations afforded by perceptual observation. Within the artwork, our observations are contextualized vis-a-vis large, ongoing collections of data via satellite imagery, scientific instrumentation, human memory, and citizen science intended to help predict the future of the lake. The project touches upon the lake as a “site of memory” by examining how winter conditions contribute to subsequent summers while also engaging human memory by exploring indigenous observations of the landscape.![]()
