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Public art showing pollution statistics dress up EDSA Taft


(Updated 8:21 a.m., Nov. 28) - Fifty-four kilometers of EDSA seem to extend infinitely for the perennial traffic congestion. Opening the window while driving may not help because of air pollution.
 
But some tinge of color and art may help commuters and drivers to be at ease while on the road as a paint company revealed the fourth installment of their eight-work large-scale public art project on EDSA on Nov. 24. 
 
London-based artist Erika Tan converted pollution statistics into bars, lines and graphics in pastel hues covering the pillars of EDSA Tramo Flyover, approaching Taft MRT station, for "Project EDSA." Her artwork covers around 1000 square meters of art, using Boysen KNOxOUT paint as medium.
 
In a statement Tan said, "Taking the lead from the EDSA/Boysen project itself, I wanted to approach the work in the spirit of visual and the transformation."
 
Tan used data from various studies about air pollution, which include the 2009 Ateneo de Manila University study on Pollution Levels in Metro Manila Cities from 2006 to 2009, and the International Energy Agency's 2004 study on carbon dioxide emissions from fuel combustion 1971-2002. She also said that the graphical visualization, like numerical values, is open for interpretation.
 
Tan holds a Master of Arts in Fine Art degree from Central Saint Martins College of Art in London.
 
Boysen, one of the leading paint brands, claims that their new product, KNOxOUT paints, absorbs nitrogen oxide (NOx), a type of pollutant produced during combustion. NOx are believed to worsen asthma, and could eventually form nitric acid when dissolved in water.
 
They are believed to aggravate asthmatic conditions, react with the oxygen in the air to produce ozone, which is also an irritant, and eventually form nitric acid when dissolved in water.
 
Science Daily reported: "When dissolved in atmospheric moisture the result can be acid rain which can damage both trees and entire forest ecosystems."
 
The first artwork included in Project EDSA was designed by a Filipino artist, Jose Tence Ruiz. It can be seen along the walls covering San Lorenzo Village in Makati City.   
The whole project is expected to be completed in March 2013.
An advocate of public art, known Filipino muralist AG Saño, welcomed the public art project. "Art makes the world a better place. There's no reason why there should be a controversy about those murals," Saño said in a text message sent to GMA News Online.
 
Saño is the artist behind the dolphin murals along Quezon Avenue tunnel and C5, among others.
 
He also said, "Whoever ignited the idea of painting murals along EDSA, I think Boysen should thank him." –KG, GMA News
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