Painting Pollution: Sequestered Carbon on Canvas

  • "Voiceless it cries, wingless flutters, toothless bites, mouthless mutters"

    - JRR TOLKIEN

    Less than 1% of global land area has safe air pollution levels, and fossil fuel air pollution is responsible for 1 in 5 human deaths worldwide, making air pollution a greater threat to life expectancy than smoking, HIV or war. Black carbon is one of the largest contributors to global warming after CO2, warming the earth's atmosphere by absorbing sunlight, thereby accelerating the melting of snow and ice.

     

    The black ink used in much of Rosannagh's work takes its pigment from carbon sequestered from air pollution. This carbon negative material replaces the need for traditional black inks that often require the deliberate and unneccessary burning of fossil fuels. This process instead upcycles the carbon produced from an existing combustion engine whilst removing it from the atmosphere.

  • Installation shot from 'I Want You to Panic' at Zuleika Gallery.

  • Eitr

    'Eitr' is a substance in Norse mythology, known as the origin of all living things. Also said to be very...

    EITR. Soot, volcanic ash, black salt and carbon sequestered from air pollution on canvas, 100 x 120 cm

    'Eitr' is a substance in Norse mythology, known as the origin of all living things. Also said to be very poisonous, it is produced by the giant serpent Jörmungandr as he ‘poisons the sky’ during the events of Ragnarök - the end of the world as we know it.

    This work uses sequestered air pollution to draw a comparison between the mythical 'Eitr' and the more tangible carbon - another substances that represents the origins of life on Earth, and contributes hugely to climate change - the end of the world as we know it on our planet.