[spectre] Andrea Polli: Particle Fallz in Zagreb

[Darko Fritz]

Andrea Polli: Particle Fallz 
curated by Darko Frtiz for the Connecting Cities Network, In/Visible City
Museum of Contemprorary Art media facade . Zagreb 
1 - 20 Dec 2015
http://www.msu.hr/#/en/20780/ <http://www.msu.hr/#/en/20780/>

Particle Fallz is a real-time visualization of air-quality data.

Particle Fallz is a dramatic public work that highlights particulate pollution, raising awareness of its presence and impact. The responses of Particle Falls are often unexpected and chaotic, emphasizing the fragile and unstable nature of our Earth's atmosphere and the human role in increasing instability through anthropogenic climate change.

Three instruments called airbeams are installed outside the entrance of the museum to take in air samples and analyze the amount of particulates in the surrounding air. They generate data that is then converted to imagery and animation by a custom computer program and sent to the media facade of the museum, where it is visualized in in bursts of bright color over a constant background of falling blue light. Increasing frequency and size of the spots of color indicates a greater concentration of particles. The visualization updates with new particulate data every 15 seconds. 

Although air is invisible, it has a major impact on public health. According to the European Environment Agency, atmospheric pollution of particulate matter with a diameter less than 10 µm (PM10-PM2.5) is the most widespread problem in Croatia. Despite the invisibility of air, modern sensors can detect tiny particulate pollution levels in real time. Particulate matter (PM 2.5) is air pollution caused primarily by emissions from automobiles, trucks and other diesel and gas-burning vehicles. 

The World Air Quality Index provides continuous online particulate pollution data from stations in Zagreb and other cities in Croatia, you can access this data here: http://aqicn.org/city/croatia/zagreb-1/

Particle Falls was originally produced for the City of San Jose California. Partners working on the project have included meteorologist Tim Dye, artist Chuck Varga, Ryan Romero and other students in Polli's research laboratory at the University of New Mexico, The Social Media Workgroup. Thanks to MetOne instruments for particulate monitoring equipment and calibration.

Social Media Workgroup members working on Particle Fallz:
Eric Geusz – Programming, design and technical assistance
Jared Rendon-Trompak - Technical assistance
Trenton Small – Programming assistance

Connecting Cities Network: http://www.connectingcities.net
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