A series of domes will recreate the pollution from London, Beijing, São Paulo, New Delhi and Tautra in Norway. Forming a ring in the centre of Jack Poole Plaza, visitors will pass through the climatically controlled pods to compare the quality of polluted global environments.  All five Pollution Pods are linked, so that one has to pass through all of them in order to exit the installation.  This visceral experience encapsulates the sense that the world – and our own impact on it – is interconnected.

The entry pod, emulating a peninsula in Norway called Tautra, will use an Airlabs filter to remove all harmful gases to create fresh air.  A smorgasbord of metropolises will follow, each with their own specific and nuanced polluted environments; from London’s invisible but deadly output of nitrogen oxides to New Delhi’s suffocating haze of airborne particles.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “Air pollution is a major public health risk and we have to take urgent steps to tackle the issue in Greater Manchester. It’s also vital that we raise awareness of the health impacts of poor air quality. These Pollution Pods provide a really innovative and interesting way of allowing people to safely experience poor air quality for themselves and I would urge anyone who can make it to come along and find out more”. 

On Thursday 13th a team of air quality scientists from Kings College in London will be on site working with Manchester schools to better inform our youngsters what causes pollution and how we all need to be part of the solution – walking to school, bicycling, using clean public transport.  Clean Air Week itself aims to increase awareness of dirty air, which contributes to the equivalent of 1,200 deaths in Greater Manchester each year, as well as the simple changes we can all take to make our region’s air cleaner. This year the focus is on encouraging people to try walking and cycling for more of their short journeys.

Pollution Pods was originally commissioned by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology for Climart and has been built with the support of BuildwithHubs. Pollution Pods has received funding from Arts Council England. The tour of Pollution Pods is managed by Cape Farewell. Pollution cocktails created are by IFF‘s global network of scent experts and dispersed using Aroma technology.

Launch event 28 June, 5pm – 7pm
b-side Assemblies 04: Making Art in Times of Crisis
Join artists Michael Pinsky, Leni Dothan and writer and Extinction Rebellion activist Sara Hudston for a lively and incisive discussion. Both artists have made work in response to the ever-increasing threat of pollution, this event includes a tour of ‘Pollution Pods’ and a screening of “Age of Smoke: Painting the Predator” a BatFish Films short documentary directed by Naima Vogt and Martine Stephen, and co-produced by Thais Martin. The film tells the story of Israeli artist Leni Dothan’s year-long collaboration with a team of chemists from UCL, during which they developed a series of pollution-reactive sculptures to raise public awareness about the danger of pollution in London. The film follows the team from start to finish as they prepare to exhibit ‘The Portland Stone Rehabilitation Centre’ at the 2018 b-side Festival.

This event is co-presented by Cape Farewell and b-side.
For more information

The Pollution Pods will have a twilight opening in Melbourne on 22nd August 2019, centre stage at the White Night Festival before a further week-long opening as part of Melbourne Science Gallery’s DISPOSABLE season.

This event is co-presented by Science Gallery Melbourne and White Nights