Open Air! A Public Art Commission for Somers Town

Climate Art is developing a new public art commission that responds to air pollution in Somers Town, Central London. As part of LDF 2023, Climate Art, in collaboration with AKT II, presents three innovative proposals for the future artwork. Along with endangering lives, air pollution leads to the near-term warming of the planet, which is why it is imperative to improve air quality globally. Climate Art's presentation will include a discussion on ways of tackling urban air pollution. Environmental Context From the very building of the Euston Road in the 1750s right through to the ongoing construction of the north–south HS2 railway line, Somers Town and the surrounding area have been subject to extensive and continuous development. According to residents, construction has been almost constant since the 1960s, and many of the current large-scale development projects are set to continue at least until 2033. Unsurprisingly, the environmental impact on Somers Town over the decades has been severe, involving the loss of mature trees and air-quality degradation. As evidenced by recent data, the levels of fine particles (PM2.5), Ozone (O3), and toxic Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) remain alarmingly high, with the latter consistently exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) limit for the protection of human health.