Graviky Labs
from Dirt to Art
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Photographs courtesy Graviky Labs
transforms harmful pollution particles into tools for artists.
By MICHAEL GALLANT
Right: A quadcopter drone surveys an industrial smokestack. Graviky Labs seeks to reduce the pollution caused by such smoke. Above: A T-shirt printed using Graviky’s Air-Ink, a black pigment created from captured air pollution. Above right: A mural created with Air-Ink in New York City, as part of a “painted with pollution” campaign.
rom using vehicles and generating power to manufacturing and mining, human activities create huge amounts of air pollutants every day. What if these microscopic pollutants could be captured, harnessed and transformed into safe tools we can use, rather than elements of the toxic air that we breathe? This is the central goal of Graviky Labs, a start-up that is helping to redefine how the world understands—and battles—air pollution. The Bengaluru-based start-up creates a product called Air-Ink, a black pigment made from the carbon soot particles left
over when fossil fuels are burned. These air pollutants are captured using a proprietary system, called Kaalink, which attaches to diesel generators and other fossil fuel chimney stacks, and filters their exhaust. Graviky also recycles pollution from other sources, depending upon their carbon content. It purifies and processes the soot, grinding it down into even smaller particles, and works with international testing agencies to ensure that all materials are safe for use. The result? A deep black ink, which has been used by over 1,000 artists around the world to create stunning drawings, murals and more.
