Gathering Cloud (2025)

Inspired by the ethereal shapes of clouds, Anja Ulfeldt, UCSC OpenLab visiting Artist-in-Residence, created Gathering Cloud, a groundbreaking public artwork at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center.

This innovative work demonstrates how fog can be transformed into a vital water source. By collecting moisture from the air, the sculpture sustains a vibrant green space for plants, animals, and birds during the dry summer months. More than just a sculpture, Gathering Cloud catalyzes climate knowledge, fostering societal awareness about sustainable solutions. It’s part of a growing movement to build a cultural shift toward environmental resilience by bridging art and ecology for public engagement.

Supported by the OpenLab Collaborative Research Center, where Ulfeldt is an artist-in-residence, along with the Center for Coastal Climate and Resilience and the Climate Action Solutions Program, Gathering Cloud inspires innovative thinking and action, blending history, science, and artistic imagination to create a sustainable future.