In 2016 I was commissioned by Engage Liverpool to create a piece of public artwork for the Liverpool Air Project called VENT! which used art to explore and communicate issues around air quality.

In response to the brief Iris was born, a living wall installation made of various materials including wood, moss and copper, which will react with the atmosphere and change colour and texture over time.

The piece also incorporates lichens, as they are sensitive to increased levels of nitrogen and will deteriorate if air quality is poor. I worked with Frances Stoakley, a Natural Talent Trainee, formerly based at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, whose role was to advise on the ecology, collection, collection ethics, storage and growth needs of lichen and moss.

In 2018 Iris won the Research as Art external / national award at Swansea University. This is the first time they have opened up the competition nationally and internationally. A panel of senior figures from the Royal Institution, Nature and Research Fortnight magazine made the choices from nearly a hundred entries this year.