Driving along E. Rodriguez Avenue in Pasig, one of the busiest roads in the country, you might have already seen that one specific mural that claims itself as a tree. With the traffic situation always at its worst (this was pre-pandemic), you probably got the chance to have a second, even a third look at the mural, to make sure you’re reading it right.
Any normal person would see just a painted wall—some colorful portraits of rubber ducks, birds, food, and toys—but if you look closer, and dig a little deeper, you would discover how these squares were painted with air-cleaning KNOxOUT paint. Therefore, each one was indeed, a tree. Read our feature on this here:
A New Air-Purifying Wall Fights Urban Air Pollution in Pasig
Boysen KNOxOUT has been on top of the game when it comes to fighting air pollution in areas where growing trees is close to impossible. Its public art initiative, BOYSEN KNOxOUT Project: EDSA, which started almost a decade ago has been helping reduce air pollution in the heart of the metro where thousands of passersby traverse daily, ever since its first launch. It is proven in scientific studies that painting one large-scale artwork can lessen air pollution by 20% daily but how does it work, you might ask? Being the first air-cleaning paint in the world with CristalACTIV paint technology, when exposed to light and moisture, KNOxOUT transforms airborne toxins like nitrogen oxides (NOx) into harmless substances. Let us save the more complex explanation to the experts.
Given that every square meter of surface painted with Boysen KNOxOUT eliminates the NOx from the exhaust of ten moving cars, imagine how much of an impact a thousand square meter artwork can have on cleaning the air. Just to give you an idea, one 1,000 sqm public mural will help neutralize the harmful emissions of 10,000 cars. Daily.
KNOxOUT Installations in Cities Around the Globe
The concept of large-scale, air-cleaning artworks started in Manila almost a decade ago through the BOYSEN KNOxOUT Project: EDSA.
This local initiative sparked a worldwide revolution using the air-cleaning paint technology in some cities all over the world. Big companies extended their green efforts to painting walls with Boysen KNOxOUT to help with the alarming levels of air pollution.
KNOxOUT has also been used in various projects in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Peru, Germany, Holland, France, United States of America, and Mexico.
Tribute to Deyna in Poland
A common goal for a game-changing artwork is this art installation which is a tribute to Kazimierz Deyna, the great footballer of Capital Legia based in Warsaw, Poland.
Iconic athletes like the late, beloved Polish footballer Kazimierz “Kazik” Deyna will forever be entrenched in the hearts and minds of their country, city, or club faithful. Deyna, a great footballer of Capital Legia, winner of Olympic gold and silver medals and bronze medalist at the 1974 World Cup had made many important goals throughout his fabled career.
It is only fitting that his greatness be immortalized with an art installation as a tribute to his contributions to the sport and country. For the Fundacja im. Kazimierz Deyna (Kazimierz Deyna Foundation), this would be a dream goal.
Also based in Poland, EcoEvolution is an organization that takes care of the environment through their own initiatives or by creating endeavors for other entities. One of their goals is to improve urban air quality—a goal in a space they have created for environmental concerns to become projects, and for these projects to come to fruition.
Together, they created a massive 420 square meter mural of Deyna on one of the skyscrapers in Ursynów, Poland which champions their respective causes simultaneously.
While putting up gigantic murals for sports legends is quite common nowadays, this one is a breath of fresh air– because it actually cleans the air. BOYSEN KNOxOUT Air Cleaning Paint was used for the project.
Designed by couple Zuzanna and Bartosz Podlewscy, the artwork was intended to make people remember how Kazik Deyna made them feel good whenever they saw him play. With an image so captivating and KNOxOUT doing its air-purifying function at the building, the mural will do just that, probably even better.
Goal!
Other Larger-than-Life Murals
Two murals made of photocatalytic, smog-eating paint have gone up in Bangkok, Thailand and Warsaw, Poland as part of a project dubbed Converse City Forests.
Converse, the American shoe company, is collaborating with artists in 13 cities around the world to create these giant murals, using a special kind of paint that cleans the air.
– Elassar, Alaa. (2020, August 22). Converse is sponsoring giant murals in 13 cities around the world that break down pollutants. CNN. Retrieved from edition.cnn.com
Boysen KNOxOUT with the Local Creative Community
In its efforts to send an important message to the public, Boysen KNOxOUT partnered up in 2012 with artists like Bogie Ruiz and Tapio Snellman to create large-scale murals that did not only appeal to the eye but was also active in combatting air pollution. Through these artworks, KNOxOUT hoped to show that we, as one community, are never defenseless against this invisible foe.
Below you’ll see the massive artworks under Boysen KNOxOUT Project: EDSA.
Buendia and Estrella Artwork by TBWA
Also known as “Tree Lungs”, this artwork located along Rockwell Wall, plays with the shapes of trees and their resemblance to the respiratory organ. It is the only artwork that is left of the BOYSEN KNOxOUT Project: EDSA.
Painted with BOYSEN KNOxOUT, each tree painted literally cleans the air, making individuals and their lungs breathe easy. Read about the photosynthesis, photocatalysis, and all the art (and science) of cleaning the air here.
Other KNOxOUT Murals
There were other artworks but because of the changing cityscapes they no longer exist.
Ortigas Artwork by Baby and Coco Anne of Studio B+C
This was right at the intersection of EDSA and Ortigas. The 3D artwork illustrated the concept of renewal—a new kind of People Power: the battle against air pollution.
Cubao Artwork by Tapio Snellman
This air cleaning artwork was located along the Cubao-Aurora Underpass. These intertwined pipes symbolized real-life infrastructure on the one hand; and the invisible networks linking an urban community on the other. If you want to learn more about the inspiration behind this masterpiece, follow this link.
San Lorenzo Artwork by Bogie Ruiz
This was located on the San Lorenzo Village wall on EDSA. The artwork used the colorful, fractal formation of mollusks, corals, barnacles, and other thalassic creatures to clean the air.
It included the word “Ganap” which is a poetic word, bringing up the fullness of understanding, the completion of pregnancy, a finished cycle, wholeness.
Pasay Tramo Artwork by Erika Tan
Located along Pasay Tramo before, this air cleaning artwork composed of charts and graphs was based on 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 to 2002.
Cleaner Air For All
On September 7, the United Nations Environment Programme and its partners commemorated the first-ever annual International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies.
The day aims to remind us that clean air is fundamental for our future and in order to save it, we must take action in bringing transformative changes in our lifestyles now. Not tomorrow, not next week, and not when you have the time. NOW.
Protecting our home planet isn’t just a one-man job. We all have to contribute in taking care of the environment.
With each of us doing our part, we can achieve #CleanAirForAll.
For updates on the Boysen KNOxOUT projects, go to www.knoxoutpaints.com.