Porous, airy bodies by Megan Hack
MA Art and Ecology student Megan Hack is using her art to make London’s invisible air pollution levels visible.
Megan created dyes from natural materials from trees including oak, birch, hawthorn and chestnut in Epping Forest in East London, near to where she grew up.
She has also used particulate matter – fine particles in the air which she collected from non-porous surfaces – to create pigment for her pieces.
Ecology has always been part of my practice, I’ve worked very closely with the land, using natural materials for a really long time. Coming to London again, I started considering air pollution and that our environment isn’t just made up of natural things. You’ve got this element of toxicity.
Megan Hack
Megan Willow Hack discusses her work Porous, airy bodies ahead of her 2025 MA Art and Ecology Degree Show.
As part of her project, Megan recorded air pollution levels and particulate matter and was shocked by what she found.
Her large-scale paintings aim to make the unseen issue of air pollution in the capital visible.
Megan's work was on display 17 - 22 July as part of the 2025 Postgraduate Art Degree Shows.