The process can be found below.
The Great Lakes Pollution/
Chemicals of Mutual Concern
NYC Subway Pollution Ink
This is a Great Lakes pollution awareness project I did as a research assistant for Prof. Heather Davis at Eugene Lang College. The project was displayed at the Plastic Heart exhibition at the University of Toronto in September 2021 and will be exhibited at the Canadian Cultural Center in Paris in Fall 2022.
In the beginning, I researched the history of pollution in the Great Lakes and NYC areas and how it affected people and the environment. Using the research findings, me and my professors decided on the idea of creating a pollution-based ink from dust and soot from NYC subway stations.
The collection process (for the soot and dust) took 3 months with myself going to subway stations around city. Afterwards, I conducted extensive research and various experimentation to create the ink. Then, using the ink, I designed and hand-printed the index cards.
The content of the index cards was written by Prof. Heather and Prof. Kirsty Robertson. They detail the history and background of the Great Lakes and its pollution .
Exhibited at Canadian Cultural Center in Paris
Exhibited at University of Toronto Art Center
Featured at Momus "An Aesthetic of Enough"
Featured at University of Toronto Art Center " Plastic heart : Surface all the way through"
Featured at Synthetic Collective
8 prints in one set of the index cards
8 prints in one set of the index cards