Into Thick Air argues that cultural practices can inspire solutions to challenging modern problems. This project employs the Basant festival as a case study to critically reimagine kite flying as a collective practice with the potential to contribute to the reduction of air pollution in Lahore, a city consistently ranked among those with the poorest air quality globally. By building kites from fabric treated with nanoparticle coatings, Into Thick Air transforms a traditional community activity into an accessible, citizen-driven method for removing pollutants from the air. The treated kites empower Lahoris to take charge of their environment while encouraging collective action and community-driven change. Into Thick Air proposes a framework for linking cultural practices to innovative solutions, demonstrating how local traditions can inspire effective responses to wicked problems.
Into Thick Air was my thesis project for my MFA degree, and was exhibited at M7 Qatar's Art and Design Now show. The full thesis paper and research can be found here.
