From Dirt to Art

From 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.

Anirudh Sharma first brainstormed the idea for Air-Ink as a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The young scientist was visiting his home in Mumbai when he noticed black soot accumulating on his T-shirts throughout the day.

“I realized this was air pollution, or sooty particulate matter, made of black particles released from the exhaust of vehicles,” Sharma told MIT News in 2017. “This is a major health issue.” Indeed, air pollution is becoming an increasingly dire concern around the world. The World Health Organization estimates that millions of people die each year as a result of exposure.

Taking into account the gravity of the situation and the striking, dark color of the pollution particles, Sharma began conducting experiments upon his return to MIT. His first prototypes transformed soot from candles into ink. Further investigation led to the discovery of the way to collect and transform fossil fuel waste into a usable artistic tool. Emerging from the MIT Media Lab, Sharma co-founded Graviky Labs in India in 2016, gaining key funding through a successful Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign. Sponsorship from a beer company helped Graviky share Air-Ink with artists around the world. These artists created public works using the ink, some bearing the text, “This art is painted with air pollution.”