Hello! I'm Caroline and two and half years ago I started Knitting the Air - a collective art project visualising air quality data in Poplar, east London through the power of knitting.
Why you might ask? Well - air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to public health in the UK. But these days, it's largely invisible and awareness is generally low. There is loads of data out there, but this can feel quite abstract and impenetrable. Personally I love a graph but it's not every one's cup of tea.
Which is where the knitting comes in. Together with over 130 local knitters from Poplar, Bow and Tower Hamlets, we've knitted a whole years worth of data from not one, but two Breathe London Community Sensors. We've had local residents, knitting groups, GP surgeries, scientists all knitting side by side to create this piece.
I cannot overstate quite how much work this is:
- Over 2000 hand knitted squares.
- Over 5000 hours knitting time.
- Over 13 metres of data, telling the story of air quality in Poplar.
- Countless cups of tea.
The work has toured all over Tower Hamlets, visiting schools, GP surgeries, hospitals and community centres, gathering hundreds of stories and reflections about air pollution and how it's affecting communities in Tower Hamlets.
It took us two and half years to complete. We persisted and this year we finally finished the knitting. And at The Big Reveal, we had the full piece on display in Poplar for the first time for the community to see and celebrate what they've made.
But we could only have it on display for one day!
We are now working towards Knitting the Air: The Exhibition - our first dedicated exhibition in 2026. We are in talks with the Nunnery Gallery in Bow, a fantastic gallery in the local area, to have three week run so more people can come see the hard work of our knitters and explore the air they breathe.
And the knitters need your help! Exhibitions cost money and we are currently completely volunteer led. We are applying for funding, but any donation, large or small will help us make sure that this important work and the hard work of knitters is shared, drawing attention to communities most affected by poor air. This project was collectively made and we'd love part of it to be collectively funded too.
Funds will go towards:
- Venue Hire
- Exhibition and promotional materials
- Costs for a public engagement programme
Check out our instagram to explore our journey so far.
And on behalf myself and the 132 knitters, thank you for your support. It means the world to us!
Photo credit: Rehan Jamil
Organizer
Caroline Murray
Organizer