Digital Atmosphere is a Mixed Reality sculpture combining air pollution data and Augmented Reality to give the environment a voice. It is one of the first sculptures worldwide combining a physical sculpture and an Augmented Reality system including live data to drive digital art in a novel way. 

The physical shape and digital behaviour of the artwork is inspired by research into early air pollution devices, such as Canary birds, and computational flocking systems. Mimicking bird behaviour, the virtual living form senses and reacts to changes of local air quality in a poetic way. Underlined by spatial sound, the audience experiences 6 different states of dynamic form and motion through headset based Augmented Reality. 

Air Pollution is still a problem that connects the planet. This installation is an attempt of experiencing pollutants in a poetic way with the aim to help to behave, breathe and share air differently in the future. How would you feel if we wear Augmentation Glasses on an everyday basis, picturing the immediate change of air and its origin – would this change the way we behave, move and navigate through future cities? Research during the current Covid 19 pandemic showed the link between air pollution to our bodies, this is why this sculpture is an attempt to bring the invisible closer to people, rather than to larger governmental bodies. 

Digital Atmosphere is part of the art and tech fellowship at Near Now 2019-2020, fully funded by Arts Council England.