Air Conditioner, 2023
Air conditioner removed from artist’s parent’s home in Lynwood, California, Smog, Carbon Monoxide (CO), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide ( NO2), Ground Level Ozone (O3), ,Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), soot, dirt, and dust sourced from Lynwood
25 inches by 14 inches by 14 inches
This air conditioner was removed from my childhood home in Lynwood, California. It was purchased in 2003 and its filter was last changed in 2014. Faulty air conditioners are one of the main sources of indoor pollution besides fuel-burning appliances, building materials, and excess moisture. [1]
My childhood home is located exactly 35 feet from the I-105 freeway. Living near a freeway increases exposure to pollutants such as Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) which is small enough to enter the lungs. The smallest PM2.5 particles can even enter the bloodstream. PM2.5 has been associated with elevated risks of asthma, lung cancer, and heart disease. [2] Commercial air conditioners cannot filter PM2.5. [3]
This air conditioner will run inside the New Wight gallery every day from 9am to 4pm throughout the duration of this thesis show.
Throughout the Los Angeles freeway boom of the 1950s and 1960s, the westside elite of the city managed to successfully ban most freeway construction in their neighborhoods, including Westwood. This success came from a strong representation of the westwide in the Los Angeles City Council. During the 1960s, the Council approved most freeways on the south and east sides while opposing those on the westside, the location of their homes. The disparities in air between the west, south, and east sides are a direct result of the Los Angeles City Council’s biased political power.
1. “Introduction to Indoor Air Quality | US EPA.” 2014. US EPA. August 14, 2014. https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/introduction-indoor-air-quality.
2. Xing YF, Xu YH, Shi MH, Lian YX. The impact of PM2.5 on the human respiratory system. J Thorac Dis. 2016 Jan;8(1):E69-74. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2072-1439.2016.01.19. PMID: 26904255; PMCID: PMC4740125.
3. Batterman S, Du L, Mentz G, Mukherjee B, Parker E, Godwin C, Chin JY, O'Toole A, Robins T, Rowe Z, Lewis T. Particulate matter concentrations in residences: an intervention study evaluating stand-alone filters and air conditioners. Indoor Air. 2012 Jun;22(3):235-52. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0668.2011.00761.x. Epub 2012 Feb 4. PMID: 22145709; PMCID: PMC4233141.
Air conditioner removed from artist’s parent’s home in Lynwood, California, Smog, Carbon Monoxide (CO), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide ( NO2), Ground Level Ozone (O3), ,Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), soot, dirt, and dust sourced from Lynwood
25 inches by 14 inches by 14 inches
This air conditioner was removed from my childhood home in Lynwood, California. It was purchased in 2003 and its filter was last changed in 2014. Faulty air conditioners are one of the main sources of indoor pollution besides fuel-burning appliances, building materials, and excess moisture. [1]
My childhood home is located exactly 35 feet from the I-105 freeway. Living near a freeway increases exposure to pollutants such as Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) which is small enough to enter the lungs. The smallest PM2.5 particles can even enter the bloodstream. PM2.5 has been associated with elevated risks of asthma, lung cancer, and heart disease. [2] Commercial air conditioners cannot filter PM2.5. [3]
This air conditioner will run inside the New Wight gallery every day from 9am to 4pm throughout the duration of this thesis show.
Throughout the Los Angeles freeway boom of the 1950s and 1960s, the westside elite of the city managed to successfully ban most freeway construction in their neighborhoods, including Westwood. This success came from a strong representation of the westwide in the Los Angeles City Council. During the 1960s, the Council approved most freeways on the south and east sides while opposing those on the westside, the location of their homes. The disparities in air between the west, south, and east sides are a direct result of the Los Angeles City Council’s biased political power.
1. “Introduction to Indoor Air Quality | US EPA.” 2014. US EPA. August 14, 2014. https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/introduction-indoor-air-quality.
2. Xing YF, Xu YH, Shi MH, Lian YX. The impact of PM2.5 on the human respiratory system. J Thorac Dis. 2016 Jan;8(1):E69-74. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2072-1439.2016.01.19. PMID: 26904255; PMCID: PMC4740125.
3. Batterman S, Du L, Mentz G, Mukherjee B, Parker E, Godwin C, Chin JY, O'Toole A, Robins T, Rowe Z, Lewis T. Particulate matter concentrations in residences: an intervention study evaluating stand-alone filters and air conditioners. Indoor Air. 2012 Jun;22(3):235-52. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0668.2011.00761.x. Epub 2012 Feb 4. PMID: 22145709; PMCID: PMC4233141.