An internationally recognised art installation designed to demonstrate the effects of air pollution will arrive at Elizabeth Quay in Perth on 23 October 2026 for a 10-day exhibition.

Created by British artist Michael Pinsky, Pollution Pods consists of five interconnected domes that recreate the atmospheric conditions of different locations around the world, allowing visitors to experience changes in air quality, temperature, humidity, visibility and smell.

The installation takes visitors through environments representing Tautra in Norway, London, São Paulo, Beijing and New Delhi, beginning with relatively clean air before progressing through increasingly polluted conditions.

Although the experience is designed to be safe, the simulated environments can become noticeably uncomfortable as visitors move between the domes.

Pinsky developed the installation almost a decade earlier after being approached by Norwegian environmental psychologists interested in whether art could influence public attitudes towards climate change.

Since its creation, Pollution Pods has been exhibited approximately 33 times internationally, including appearances in New York, Madrid, London, Switzerland and Norway.

More than 30,000 people have experienced the installation worldwide.

Its only previous Australian appearance was in Melbourne in 2019, where approximately 12,000 people visited over four days.

The artwork has also been recognised internationally, appearing on Artnet's list of 100 artworks that defined the decade.

The Perth exhibition is being presented by RAC as part of an initiative to raise awareness about air pollution, particularly emissions generated by motor vehicles.

RAC representatives identified traffic emissions as one of Perth's major air quality concerns and hoped the exhibition would encourage visitors to consider how their transport choices affected the environment.

Following the installation, visitors will also have access to an emissions calculator developed by RAC to estimate the pollution associated with their daily travel.

Pinsky explained that the installation was intended to make air pollution something people could physically experience rather than simply read about.

The simulated environments use changes in temperature, humidity, visibility and artificial smells to represent the conditions associated with traffic, industrial activity and other sources of pollution.

The artist has previously exhibited work at several major cultural institutions, including the Tate, Saatchi Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

The Elizabeth Quay exhibition will provide Perth residents with an opportunity to experience the internationally recognised installation while considering the relationship between urban environments, transport emissions, public health and climate change.

The exhibition is scheduled to run for 10 days from 23 October 2026.