Breathe: 317 to 415ppm is a contemporary textile artwork exploring environmental change through material, data and place. The title references the rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide from 317 parts per million in 1960 to 415 parts per million in 2024, a shift embedded directly into the work through the layering of time.

Black backstitch embroidery traces the form of human lungs across a vintage Ordnance Survey map, creating a direct connection between breath, landscape and atmosphere. The trachea is deliberately positioned near the site of Drax Power Station, a focal point in ongoing debates around carbon capture and energy production. This precise placement anchors the piece in a real geography while extending its meaning to wider environmental systems.

The contrast between the measured, anatomical line and the aged, printed surface of the map reinforces the relationship between human life and the changing environment it depends upon. Both visually restrained and conceptually layered, the work invites close inspection while holding a broader narrative about climate, industry and responsibility.

Presented framed and ready to hang, Breathe: 317 to 415ppm is well suited to contemporary interiors, particularly in professional, educational or design-led environments where artwork is selected to engage with current global issues through subtle, material expression.

Details

• Original artwork: Breathe: 317 to 415ppm
• Medium: Embroidery (black backstitch) on vintage Ordnance Survey map
• Artwork size: 22 x 25 cm (8.5 x 10 in)
• Framed size: 36 x 39 cm
• Orientation: Portrait
• Colour palette: Monochrome stitching on aged map tones
• Framing: Framed and ready to hang
• Inspiration: Rising atmospheric carbon levels and their relationship to landscape and industry
• Price: £260