Diary of a Weather Reporter #4 (November - December 2022)

Look at the Sky

"As the weather reporter, first four months resident in the Library of Water in Stykkishólmur, West-Iceland, now in Reykjavík, I report daily on the weather. The observation started May 1st and will continue for one year, wherever I happen to be at the time.

The weather station is part of the global World Weather Network. Formed in response to the climate emergency, the World Weather Network is a constellation of weather stations set up by 28 arts agencies around the world and an invitation to look, listen, learn, and act. For one year artists, writers and communities will share observations, stories, reflections and images about their local weather, creating an archipelago of voices and viewpoints.

My daily reports consist of my look at the sky at noon. With my photograph you see the weather report from the same day and at the same time in 1852, 170 years ago, by Árni Thorlacius (1802-1891). Thorlacius was the first one to record the weather in a systematic way in Iceland, five times a day for decades and exactly on the hill in Stykkishólmur where Library of Water now stands. Underneath is the official record of the weather where and when I am located and make the image. Besides recording wind speed, direction of the wind, temperature and air pressure in a systematic and objective way, Thorlacius also describes “the look of the sky”.

My reports – the spine of various projects I work on in this weather station - do the same, use the official meteorological reports with my views on the look of the sky."

- Einar Falur Ingólfsson

Einar Falur Ingólfsson

Einar Falur Ingólfsson (1966) is an Icelandic photographer and writer. For over a decade he has worked on several long-term projects which have been exhibited in various forms in museums in Iceland, other European countries and the US. A couple of his projects have been published in acclaimed books. In some of his projects, he has engaged in collaborations with work produced by artists and writers in the past. In 2021 he wrapped up a visual diary of 20 months, About Time, photographed in Iceland, India and Italy, which became an exhibition in BERG Contemporary gallery and a book. www.einarfalur.com

Einar Falur Ingólfsson is publishing daily photographic reports via Instagram (@dailyweatherreports) and a longer monthly report, compiling photography, video and writing, via the World Weather Network.

Commissioned by Icelandic Art Center. Part of the weather station in Stykkishólmur, Iceland - find out more here.