At the dawn of photography, when photographs required long exposures, taking images of clouds was near impossible. It wasn’t until the second half of the nineteenth century, with improvements in technique and technology, that photographers could begin capturing the infinite variability of clouds.

Cloud Album features 250 works – including photographs, albums, and books – that range from the origins of photography to the dawn of satellite imagery, all drawn from the collection of the Archive of Modern Conflict in London. Cloud Album seeks to celebrate the breadth and beauty of images of clouds and the uniqueness of the passionate practice – of scientists, amateurs, and artists alike – of photographing the sky. Through this, the exhibition draws a picture of the history of the sky, the history of photography, and the ways in which they are intertwined.

Curated by Luce Lebart and Timothy Prus.

With thanks to Michelle Wilson, Kalev Erickson, Ed Jones, Lizzie Powell, Giulia Shah and James Welch (London); Olivia Bishop, David Franklin and Parker Kay (Toronto); David Medina (Colombia) and Kei Osawa (Tokyo), and with gratitude to David Thomson for his inspiration and vision.

Based on the Archive of Modern Conflict Collection, the exhibition has been facilitated by loans from The University Museum, the University of Tokyo (UMUT) and Brad Feuerhelm.