This document describes a series of artworks by Nathalie Miebach that translate weather data, environmental data, and COVID-19 data into weavings, sculptures, and other pieces. The artworks visualize patterns in the data and document events like the COVID-19 pandemic and hurricanes. Many of the pieces were created during residencies where the artist recorded on-site weather, sound, and environmental data that were then translated visually.

1. Nathalie Miebach

2. Since 2020, I have been integrating weather and Covid-
19 data into weavings that are entirely built by data and
are a form of documentation of this global pandemic.

3. Life Lines
2022
Paper on canvas
Divided into 12 panels, each
square translates weather data,
COVID-19 deaths, hospitalisation,
sewage data, vaccination phases,
and variants from January to
December, 2021. Each white line
is a human life lost to Covid-19.
https://www.nathaliemiebach.com

4. Patterns of Disasters
2022
Paper on canvas
This piece translates global
COVID-19 data with major
weather events of 2021.

5. The Blindness of Seeing
Patterns
2021
Paper, wood, data
This piece translates
Covid-19 and weather data
related to the Summer of
2021.

6. Comfort Zones
2021
Paper, string, data
This piece explores the outdoor
temperature range that felt
comfortable to wear a mask.
Using data from Boston, this piece
translates cloud cover,
temperature (March 2020-Jan
2021), solar azimuth for 2020 and
Covid-19 death rates every 15th of
the month from April ’20 to
Sept’21.

7. Sunny Days
2021
Paper, string, data
During the pandemic, I became
very aware of how much I loved
the chance of being outside. This
piece explores how my
relationship with cloud cover
changed before and after I was
vaccinated. It translates cloud
cover and temperature from
March, as well as my vaccination
cycle.

8. Weaving Weather During
Quarantine
2020
Watercolor on paper
Cloud cover, temperatures, Covid-
19 infection rates and death rates
for Boston, MA during quarantine
in July 2020.

9. Stay Safe and Healthy
2020
Watercolor on paper
Cloud cover, temperature
readings from three places I have
loved ones in quarantine: Florida,
Boston and Lyon (France). Also
included are Covid-19 infection
rates and death rates for
Massachusetts in July 2020.

10. Stay Safe and Healthy (Backside)
2020
Watercolor on paper
Cloud cover, temperature
readings from three places I have
loved ones in quarantine: Florida,
Boston and Lyon (France). Also
included are Covid-19 infection
rates and death rates for
Massachusetts in July 2020.

11. For many years, I’ve been focusing on extreme weather
events, particularly floods that are triggered by storms,
precipitation and sea level rise.

12. https://www.nathaliemiebach.com
Harvey’s Twitter SOS
2019
Paper, wood, vinyl, data
Translation of data related to
Hurricane Harvey and other
flooding events that have
impacted the Houston area.

13. Sibling Rivalry
2016
Paper, wood, fibres, data
Using human narratives and
the weather data of
Hurricanes Katrina and
Hurricane Sandy, this piece
explores the dissonance and
co-existence between the
physic of weather with the
theatre of human responses.

14. A Storm Within A Storm Within A
Storm Within
2018
Wood, paper, rope, data
Hurricane Maria was one of
several storms and human-made
disasters that finally crumbled
Puerto Rico. This piece combines
weather data from Hurricane
Maria and Hurricane Irma,
layering both on top of a
precarious tower of rafts.

15. The Madness of a Drowning
Gambler
2019
Rope, paper, wood, plastic,
data
This triptych explores the
existential dilemma, in
which we are both the
source and the victim of
extreme weather patterns
and sea level rise, focusing
on Houston and the coastal
areas near Galveston.

16. Lost Porches
2016
Wood, paper, string, data
Many things were lost during
Hurricane Katrina, including the
porch as a social gathering space
for people living in New Orleans.
This piece tracks the
redevelopment of a small section
of the Lower Ninth Ward during
the last 10 years.

17. The Last Show Was For The
Bleachers
2016
Wood, paper, string, data
An aerial map of the New Jersey /
New York shoreline, this piece
translates Hurricane Sandy data.
Retired Hurricanes, in the shapes
of domino pieces sitting on
bleachers, look on as Sandy will
soon join them on their benches.

18. Inspired by Hurricane Sandy, numerical data in these
pieces build actual amusement park rides. At the same
time, they suggest another narrative of what coastal life
might be like in the future living with a changing climate.

19. https://www.nathaliemiebach.com
The Ride
2015
Mixed media, paper, data
This piece translates data
from NJ and NY related to
Hurricane Sandy, together
building a structure that
references the Star
Rollercoaster at Seaside
Heights and Jane’s Carousel
in Brooklyn.

20. The Last Ride
2012
Reed, wood, data
This piece translates
weather and ocean data
from Oct 29-30, when
Hurricane Sandy took the
last ride on the Star Jet
Rollercoaster.

21. Chutes and Ladders
2015
Wood, Paper, data
Weather and ocean data is
translated on amusement
park rides that seem to both
float on water and mingle
together in a chaotic vortex,
making reference to a board
game of chance.

22. O Fortuna, Sandy Spins
2013
Reed, wood, data
This piece takes weather
and ocean data from Coney
Island, NY and Seaside
Heights,NJ during Oct 29,
when Sandy took a ride on
both the Jet Star Roller
coaster and Deno's Wonder
Wheel.

23. She Cast Her Circles Wide
2016
Rope, paper, wood, data
This futuristic amusement
park / city on rafts translates
data related to Hurricane
Sandy from NJ and NY.

24. Using the basket grid as a 24-hour clock, these pieces
explore data related to tidal currents, solar and lunar
data in polar regions and beyond.

25. https://www.nathaliemiebach.com
Antarctic Explorer –
Darkness to Lightness
2007
Reed, wood, plastic, data
A portable data device for
the Antarctic Explorer,
this piece explores the
transition from complete
darkness in June to 24
hour sunlight in October.

26. Antarctic Tidal Rhythms
2006
Reed, wood, foam, data
Using a base of 24 hours,
this piece converts
various layers of data
(Jan-Dec 2005) related to
tides in the Antarctic
environment.

27. Twilight, Tides and Whales
2006
Reed, wood, data
This piece looks at the
relationship between moon
and sun rise and set, data,
tidal and twilight readings
taken in Provincetown, MA,
and whale sightings along
the New England Coast
during the time frame of
February – March 2006.

28. Antarctic Surveyor II
2008
Reed, wood, data
Looking at astronomical data
during the transitional period
from total darkness to 24
hour sunlight in Antarctica,
this piece translates moon,
sun and wind data. It is also
a surveying device for
calibrating one’s position
along the horizon.

29. Since 2009, I’ve been translating weather data into 2D
and 3D musical scores that become blueprints for my
sculptures. They are also used in collaborations with
composers through the Weather Score Project.

30. Navigating Into A New Night
https://www.nathaliemiebach.com

31. https://www.nathaliemiebach.com

32. Hurricane Noel and Hurricane Noel III

34. The Ghostly Crew of the
Andrea Gail
2011
Reed, wood, data
This 3D musical score follows
the sinking of the Andrea Gail
during the Perfect Storm.
Each ship mast is a section of
the score while the remaining
sculpture translates other data
related to the event.

35. She's Coming on Strong
2011
Paper, wood, data
This piece is a musical score
that tracks the paths of both
Hurricane Grace and the
Halloween Storm, which
together created the "Perfect
Storm".

36. Urban Prairie Orchestra
2009
Reed, wood, data
This installation translates
weather and tornado data I
collected during a residency at
Bemis Center for
Contemporary Arts in Omaha,
NE. It is arranged in the
format of an orchestra, in
which each sculpture “plays”
part of the overall score.

38. A Duet of Blizzards
2010
Wood, paper, data
A musical score that
translates data from two
blizzards (Dec 2007 and Feb
1978) that impacted New
England.

39. During 2006-2008, I spent two years on Cape Cod,
recording weather and ocean data from Herring Cove
Beach, which were then translated into the sculptures.

40. Solar Beginnings of
Everything that Changes
2008
Reed, wood, data
This piece translates data
related to recorded ecological
changes observed at Herring
Cove Beach (Cape Cod)
during Oct '07 - Mar '08.
https://www.nathaliemiebach.com

41. Changing Waters
2011
Mixed Media, data
This installation looks at
the interaction of ocean
and weather in the Gulf of
Maine, using data from
buoys and weather
stations.

42. Warm Winter
2007
Reed, wood, data
This piece translates data
from a warm winter period,
using data from buoys and
weather stations near and
on Cape Cod.

43. Temporal Warmth: Tango
Between Air, Land and Sea
2008
Reed, wood, data
A piece that looks at the
relationship between air,
water and land temperatures
during a 3 month period.

45. This series was inspired while in residence at the
Mountain Lake Biological Station near Roanoke, VA,
where I spent two weeks recording environmental
sounds and then translating them into visual maps that
can be treated as scores.

46. https://www.nathaliemiebach.com
Wind I, July 13, 11:28–
11:32am
2015
Paper collage
Translating the movement of
wind within a clearing at the
station, using six nearby trees
and the canopy beyond as
reference points.

47. Wind II, July 13, 11:33–
1:42am
2015
Paper collage
Translating the movement of
wind within a clearing at the
station, using six nearby trees
and the canopy beyond as
reference points.

48. Wind III, July 13, 11:43–
11:47am
2015
Paper collage
Translating the movement of
wind within a clearing at the
station, using six nearby trees
and the canopy beyond as
reference points.

49. A Round of Sounds
2015
Wood, paper, sounds
The direction, sequence and
quality of a variety of sounds
recorded at the station are
translated into the format
board game that could be
interpreted as a musical
score.

50. Copley Square, July 28th,
4:27-4:45pm
2015
Paper collage
A translation of mechanical
and human sounds found on
Copley Square,
Boston, into a series of lines
and forms that can be
interpreted musically.

51. A Square in the Sky
2015
Paper, wood
An aerial map of sounds,
wind, jet stream, bird
migration routes, hurricane
paths, and cloud patterns
that cross over the station.

52. This series was inspired while in residence at the
Mountain Lake Biological Station near Roanoke, VA,
where I spent two weeks recording environmental
sounds and then translating them into visual maps that
can be treated as scores.

53. https://www.nathaliemiebach.com
And the Winds Kept
Roaring Through the Night
2011
Reed, wood, data
This piece translates wind
data from St. John's, Sable
Island and Gloucester
during the fateful night of
Oct 28, 1991 when the
fishing vessel Andrea Gail
sank during the Perfect
Storm.

54. Retiring Bob
2013
Wood, data, paper
When hurricanes created too
much damage and loss of life,
their names are retired. Hurricane
Bob, one of the costliest storms,
was not one that died easily and
remained a trackable system until
it had traveled across the Atlantic
Ocean until it finally hit shore in
Portugal. This piece translates its
journey across the ocean to
eventual retirement.

55. In the Shadow of a Giant
2013
Reed, paper, data
The Blizzard of 78 has remained a
measurement pole against which all
Nor’easter storms are compared to.
Every time a bad one hits New
England, the memories of the
Blizzard of 78 are awoken. In 2013,
a blizzard that shared many features
of the Blizzard of ’78 hit New
England. This piece juxtaposes data
from both storms.

56. Hurricane Noel VI
2014
Reed, rope, data
A smaller version of the 3D
musical score of Hurricane
Noel.

57. Katrina’s Track,
2016
Wood, yarn, paper
Sandy’s Track, 2016
Wood, yarn, paper

58. I try to have one day a week in which I don’t work with
data, but simply focus on sculpture. These pieces are all
made in one day and are exercises in not overthinking
decisions.

59. https://www.nathaliemiebach.com
Cubes, Circles and Lines
Wood, thread, paper, reed
Blueberries
Wood, paper

60. Orange and Green Boxes
Wood, rope, paper
Three Pink Balls
Paper, wood

61. Three Blue Sticks
Paper, wood, rope
Cosmos
Paper, rope

62. I have made commissions for public as well as private
spaces, both large and small.

63. https://www.nathaliemiebach.com
Spinning Towards a New
Normal
2022
Reed, wood, data
This piece for the Staatliche
Museen zu Berlin translates
Covid-19 infection, death
rates and vaccination rates
for Germany, Italy and Spain
from March 2020-Feb 2022.

64. The Persistence of Play
2012
Steel, reed, paper, data
Public Art Commission for
Massachusetts College of Art
The Persistence of Play is a
whimsical, idiosyncratic, data-
driven look at the history of
MassArt within the context of the
larger economic, historical,
technological and social
developments that have shaped its
continued evolvement since 1873.

65. The Persistence of
Play - Detail
2012
Steel, reed, paper,
data
Public Art Commission
for Massachusetts
College of Art.

66. Between The Covers
2019
Paper
Site-specific
commission for library
room in Bower
Condominiums
A piece that illustrates
the wonder of reading
and "falling" into a
story.

67. Between The Covers - Detail
2019
Paper
Site-specific commission for
library room in Bower
Condominiums.

68. Some Stayed, Some Left
and Some Have Yet to
Come
2015
Rope, wood, paper, data
A wall piece that translates
data related to the ever
evolving South End
neighbourhood in Boston.

69. Some Stayed, Some
Left and Some Have
Yet to Come - Detail
2015
Rope, wood, paper,
data

70. The Invisible Threads That Build A Larger Whole - Detail, 2018
Paper
Facebook Artist-In-Residency Commission.