Weather Talk: A Glossary

"Weather" as a measurable atmosphere is closely related to the body's perception of humidity, air pressure, temperature, and visibility. When we describe weather, how do we fully encompass the three aspects of measurement, experience, and time, and how do we simultaneously analyze and articulate this complex motif from scientific, philosophical, and artistic perspectives?

In recent years, the theme of "weather" has garnered active attention in the art world. Based on two weather-themed exhibitions in Europe, new media theorists Jussi Parikka and Daphne Dragona, in their book Weathering: A Lexicon, invited various scholars, writers, and artists to each choose a weather-related term and write a short essay. They attempted to deconstruct rigorous scientific terminology and uncover the hidden connections behind common weather vocabulary—how people define "atmosphere"; from what perspectives "wind," "clouds," and "waves" are depicted; and what new meanings are embedded in "forecast" and "observation."

However, unlike a dictionary that meticulously defines weather, Weathering: A Lexicon focuses more on the interactive relationship between weather and humans, treating weather as an ecology. Through diverse perspectives, cultures, and geographical backgrounds, and oscillating between scientific language and poetic interpretation, it reshapes the way weather is written about—in those undefined, time-varying, untranslatable, or newly created meanings, the vision and perception of "weather" will be infinitely broadened.