Aditya Birla Group, Indian
The World’s Last Living Tree, 2019
This piece was made using air ink, paint made from exhaust pollution removed from the atmosphere in India. With 14 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities, India suffers greatly from the invisible killer air pollution. By creating art supplies from pollutants, Aditya Birla Group fights air pollution with air pollution, raising attention to a worsening global problem. Not only does this piece creatively address air pollution, but it also calls to the viewers’ attention another environmental justice concern: the destruction and commodification of nature. It depicts an apocalyptic future where we have destroyed all but one tree, engendering the viewer with a sense of urgency. Label by Jordan Hadlock