Visualizing geomorphology: improving communication of data and concepts through engagement with the arts

Abstract

Previous Earth Surface Exchanges (ESEX) commentaries have raised concerns over the limited, possibly even decreasing, visibility of geomorphology as a discipline and a term (e.g. Tooth, 2009; Gregory et al., 2014; Woodward, 2015). Proposed solutions have focused on ways to improve communication of geomorphology, but have tended to emphasize traditional forms of academic dissemination, including meetings (Gregory et al., 2014) and textbooks (Woodward, 2015). The contention of this commentary is that greater engagement with the arts can provide alternative communication channels for our data and concepts, and thereby help to raise the visibility of geomorphology, both literally and metaphorically.