Air

The thin layer of atmosphere that clings to the surface of our planet is a fragileand corrupted brew. Air is in constant, restless migration around the globe, connecting us in themost intimate fashion. From the dust storms that sweep into Beijing from faraway deserts to the smogfrom Chinese factories that shrouds Los Angeles, our air, the ultimate commons, is tragicallydefenseless. Breathing air is an involuntary physical function, but keeping the air breathablerequires acts of political imagination and will. Air considers the condition of this basic componentof life on earth from a range of perspectives. It reveals the thick materiality of air, air asstinky, clotted, corrupted matter--in a word, dirty. We see the stuff of air in the form ofmolecules from disintegrating artworks, or as the material for building forms; as the bearer ofscents and germs and as the substrate for communications both digital and pneumatic. Here, anasthmatic strains to inhale the air that bears the cause of her distress; a philosopher muses on theintelligibility of air; an artist dreams of being the accountant of dust; and city constructionsheds are replaced by a floating "urbanCLOUD." Air leads us to perceive air, and theimperative to protect it, anew.

John Knechtel is Director of Alphabet City Media in Toronto.