Digital Careoutside the circle

souvenirs entomologiques #I: odonata / weathering data

2020 By Sybille Neumeyer
A black background with a large neon green dragon fly in the center of the
image.
Sybille Neumeyer, souvenirs entomologiques #I: odonata / weathering data, 2020. Courtesy of the artist.

What can the resilience of insects teach us about our own resilience as humans? Which knowledge will help us weather the climate crisis?

Sybille Neumeyer’s video work souvenirs entomologiques #1: odonata / weathering data examines climate change and weather phenomena by illuminating their impact on insects, particularly dragonflies. Due to their sensitivity, insects can be pollution indicators and climate canaries. The phrase “weathering data” is a play on words, simultaneously referencing environmental and climate information gleaned from insects and “weathering”, a synonym for resistance and perseverance.

Through research at the Natural History Museum in Berlin and collaboration with the State Museum of Natural History, Karlsruhe, Neumeyer observes institution's working to bring their archival collections into the digital age. souvenirs entomologiques leans into the tension between nature and technology, reflection on new approaches to the ways we study our changing world.