Air Quality Weather Report

Digital artist Gregory Herbert led a collaborative enquiry into air quality in South Sefton.

We began with a walking tour that used colourful lichens as bio-indicators of air quality in Bootle. Responding to participants voicing their concerns about how air quality feels like an invisible threat,  the project is a way of making the quality of the air we breathe visible for people living in Bootle. 

Working with creative coder Varvara Shvetsova, Gregory has created digitally rendered videos and soundtrack which change depending on air quality readings in Bootle and creating a live air quality channel. 

The digital particle movements were developed in collaboration with Maria Malone. Maria translated words linked to the changing air qualities into movements, using a motion capture suit Gregory then translated these movements into a digital particle form which correspond to the live particle data.

Special thanks to Varvara Shvetsova and Hannah Rose for their support with creative coding Andrea Ku for Drone footage.