Air Pollution Art: Creative Solutions For A Green Future

Artists have long been inspired by the world around them, and it's no surprise that many are now turning their attention to air pollution, one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. While some artists are using their work to raise awareness about air pollution, others are taking it a step further by turning air pollution into art supplies. Graviky Labs, a startup founded by Anirudh Sharma, has developed technology that attaches to exhaust systems and captures particulate matter, which is then treated and turned into ink and paint. This product, known as Air-Ink, is already being used by artists around the world to create murals and raise awareness about air pollution.

Artists are raising awareness about air pollution through their work

Artists are increasingly using their work to raise awareness about air pollution, one of the most pressing environmental issues facing the world today. According to the World Health Organization, around 7 million premature deaths are caused by air pollution each year, with 9 out of 10 people breathing toxic air.

One notable example is the work of Michael Pinsky, who created the Pollution Pods, a project consisting of five domes, each imitating the air in five different areas of the world: Northern Norway, London, New Delhi, Beijing, and São Paulo. As visitors move through the domes, they experience different levels and sources of air pollution, from the smell of diesel in London to the mix of industrial fumes, coal or wood-based heating, and transportation emissions in Beijing. Pinsky hopes that his work will lead to a more radical approach to dealing with air pollution, particularly in the transportation sector.

Another artist using their work to raise awareness about air pollution is Daan Roosegaarde, who created the Smog-Free Tower in Beijing. The "largest smog vacuum cleaner in the world" sucks up polluted air, cleans it, and releases it back into the atmosphere. Roosegaarde, an engineer and artist, sees his work as a way to create a clean-air park, like an oasis, in a city striving for economic development and citizen well-being.

In addition to these large-scale installations, there are also initiatives to turn air pollution into art supplies, such as the work of Anirudh Sharma and Nikhil Kaushik, who invented Air-Ink, a professional art supply made from car exhaust and soot. Their startup, Graviky Labs, has developed technology that attaches to the exhaust systems of diesel generators and vehicles to capture particulate matter. The collected soot is then treated to remove heavy metals and toxins, resulting in a solid black ink that artists around the world are embracing. Air-Ink has been used in murals, markers, and even items like T-shirts and postcards, helping to spread awareness about air pollution and its impact.

Through their creative and innovative approaches, these artists are not only raising awareness about the issue of air pollution but also offering potential solutions, contributing to a growing movement that seeks to address this pressing environmental challenge.

Anirudh Sharma's Graviky Labs turns soot into ink

Anirudh Sharma, a research student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab in Boston, first came up with the idea for Graviky Labs while visiting his family in Mumbai, India. He noticed that his white shirts were often speckled with what looked like dirt at the end of the day. Upon realising that this was, in fact, air pollution, or sooty particulate matter, he decided to take action.

Sharma set up Graviky Labs, a startup that has developed a technology to capture particulate matter from diesel exhaust systems. The Kaalink device, derived from the Hindi word "kaala", meaning black, is a small, silver, cylindrical unit that can be affixed to an exhaust pipe. It captures soot before it is released into the atmosphere, preventing pollution and collecting carbon-rich particles. The device can be customised to fit a range of machines, from cars to generators.

Once the soot is collected, it undergoes a chemical process to remove heavy metals and toxins, creating a carbon-based pigment. This pigment becomes Air-Ink, a professional art supply that has been embraced by artists worldwide. The ink is thick and solid black, ideal for filling porous surfaces and creating murals. Each ounce of Air-Ink offsets 45 minutes of air pollution generated by a vehicle.

Sharma and his team at Graviky Labs aim to fuse science and arts to reinterpret environmental conservation. They have collaborated with various companies and artists to create street art and raise awareness about air pollution. The team hopes to scale up production and optimise the unit to have a wider impact on air quality.

Daan Roosegaarde's Smog-Free Tower is the world's largest smog vacuum

Daan Roosegaarde's Smog Free Tower is a 7-metre-tall structure that uses patented positive ionization technology to clean 30,000 cubic metres of air per hour, providing clean air in public spaces. The tower, which uses just 1170 watts of green electricity, was unveiled in Rotterdam on September 4, 2015, following a successful Kickstarter campaign. The Smog Free Tower is the world's first and largest smog vacuum cleaner, removing ultra-fine smog particles from the air and releasing clean air through vents on its six sides.

The tower has been recognised with multiple awards, including the Ethical Ethical Award, Grand Award for Sustainability, and the Platinum Award from A'Design Award (IT). It has been deployed in South Korea, China, the Netherlands, Poland, the UAE, and Mexico, where it has helped to reduce pollution and improve air quality.

The Smog Free Tower is part of the Smog Free Project, led by Daan Roosegaarde, which aims to reduce pollution and inspire a cleaner future. The project includes other innovations such as the Smog Free Ring, made from compressed smog particles, and the Smog Eating Billboard, which provides clean air for 104,000 people daily. The latest innovation is the Smog Free Bicycle, which inhales, cleans, and releases clean air around the cyclist.

The Smog Free Tower stands as a symbol of innovation in air purification and a testament to Roosegaarde's belief that "true beauty is not a fashionable bag or a Ferrari, but clean air and clean energy." By turning smog particles into small jewels, Roosegaarde's creation not only improves air quality but also provides a tangible reminder of the importance of striving for a cleaner and more sustainable future.

Pollution Pods mimic air quality in different parts of the world

Air pollution is a pressing environmental issue, causing around 7 million premature deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization. Artists are increasingly using their work to raise awareness of this issue, and to find solutions to reduce air pollution. One such artist is Michael Pinsky, who created Pollution Pods, an interactive art exhibition of five domes, each mimicking the air quality of a different city: London, New Delhi, Beijing, São Paulo, and Northern Norway.

Each dome recreates the distinctive atmosphere of its respective city, using advanced air filtration systems and chemicals to mimic the specific composition and odours of polluted air. For instance, the London pod recreates the smell of diesel, the primary cause of air pollution in the city. The Beijing pod mixes the smells of industrial fumes, coal or wood-based heating, and transportation emissions. Meanwhile, the New Delhi pod has a whiff of burnt plastic and grass, as citizens still burn a lot of their rubbish.

The experience of entering these pods is designed to be unpleasant, to foster a greater understanding of the urgent need for environmental action and inspire advocacy for cleaner air and sustainable solutions. Pinsky hopes that his Pollution Pods will lead to a more "radical approach" to dealing with air pollution, particularly in the transportation sector.

While the project was initially commissioned by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim as part of the Climart project, it has since travelled to Somerset House in London, allowing those in the UK capital to experience the polluted atmospheres of other cities.

Air-Ink is used by artists worldwide to create murals

Air-Ink is a product of human ingenuity, a brainchild of Graviky Labs founder Anirudh Sharma, who describes himself as a "chronic inventor". The idea for Air-Ink was sparked by a simple yet profound observation: the stains of air pollution on white clothes and walls. This led to the creation of a technology that captures vehicle emissions without compromising performance, turning soot into a usable paint for art.

Air-Ink is a professional art supply made from car exhaust and soot, capturing and repurposing carbon soot into a thick, solid black ink that is ideal for porous surfaces. The process involves using a filtering device called Kaalink, which captures soot before it is released into the atmosphere. The collected soot is then treated to remove heavy metals and toxins, resulting in a carbon-based pigment that becomes Air-Ink.

Artists worldwide have embraced Air-Ink as a powerful medium for creating murals that merge art with a social cause. One notable example is the collaboration between Tiger Beer and Graviky Labs, where 150 liters of Air-Ink were provided to artists in heavily polluted Hong Kong to create murals. The initiative resulted in stunning street art and murals in the city's Sheung Wan district, with one mural featured for several weeks in Piccadilly Circus, London.

The use of Air-Ink in murals extends beyond aesthetic appeal; it carries a profound message about environmental awareness and sustainability. As Dibarah Mahboob, a self-taught artist, explains, the more Air-Ink we use, the less pollution we breathe. This simple yet impactful notion of "environmental art" underscores the potential for art to address pressing societal issues.

As the community of artists employing Air-Ink expands, the message of sustainability and innovation resonates worldwide. Air-Ink artists like Kristopher Ho and Sneha Shrestha exemplify how this unique ink enables them to address air pollution creatively and connect with their cultural roots. By embracing Air-Ink, artists are not just creating captivating art but also contributing to a global dialogue on environmental advocacy and the transformative power of creativity.

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