Ryan Hopkinson does a great Aeolus impression making tornados in his studio…

Date
8 May 2012

Our human endeavour to control the elements, or at least harness them, has been fodder for artists since pretty much always. Early fascination with meteorological phenomena had whole civilisations on their knees, praying to the gods of water, fire, earth and wind. And, even after we’d explained away their causes and cleaned up their effects, the intangible wonder of their happening at all still remains.

In a series of images that might be better explained as a scientific experiment than an art project, photographer Ryan Hopkinson in collaboration with Lightning+Kinglyface have summoned evanescent tornados inside of a studio. Using coloured smoke, spun into a vortex by an industrial extractor fan, the team managed to create 20 twisters, each around four foot high. “The delicate nature of our creations was a big juxtaposition in many ways between natures own,” Ryan said of the project, “but being able to create one and see it up close, regardless of its size and power was mesmerising.”

Above

Ryan Hopkinson: Tornados. Collaboration with Lightning+Kinglyface

Above

Ryan Hopkinson: Tornados. Collaboration with Lightning+Kinglyface

Above

Ryan Hopkinson: Tornados. Collaboration with Lightning+Kinglyface

Above

Ryan Hopkinson: Tornados. Collaboration with Lightning+Kinglyface

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About the Author

Bryony Quinn

Bryony was It’s Nice That’s first ever intern and worked her way up to assistant online editor before moving on to pursue other interests in the summer of 2012.

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