Who Owns the Air? Emissions Trading and Contemporary Media Art
Artist Andrea Polli's "Cloud Car," courtesy of the artist.
The accelerating crisis in climate change, and the realization that humans are its primary cause, raises questions about ownership and responsibility. Who owns the crisis, and who is responsible for mitigating and, if possible, reversing it?
The market solution to the problem of rising CO2—in essence, the idea of selling the atmosphere—has historical predecessors in rights of the airwaves and noise-control regulations. Andrea Polli's art explores the idea of selling air from an aesthetic perspective.
A continuous loop of short videos created by Polli was shown throughout the evening, and a CHF staff member was available to informally discuss Polli's work.
CHF also unveiled brand-new artwork from Wasabi 3D, created exclusively for the Philadelphia Science Festival.
About Andrea Polli
Andrea Polli is a digital media artist living in New Mexico. Her work with science, technology, and media has been presented in exhibitions and performances internationally, and she has been recognized by numerous grants, residencies, and awards, including an NYFA Artist's Fellowship, the Fulbright Specialist Award, and the UNESCO Digital Arts Award. Polli currently works in collaboration with atmospheric scientists to develop systems that provide an understanding of storm and climate through sound.