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The air that we breathe: Scent artist Anicka Yi

Scent artist Anicka Yi on 'sculpting' the air. English National Opera helping long Covid patients breathe and Qiu Xiaolong on his crime fiction about air pollution in China.

As Covid and climate change make us conscious of our breathing, our sense of smell, and the air around us: how the arts considers the very air that we breathe.

Korean-born, leading international artist Anicka Yi on creating work that 'sculpts' the air using smells, and her new installation, In Love With The World - in which flying machines called aerobes fill the air with scent.

Plus, how opera, lullabies, and breathwork are helping Covid patients breathe more easily. We hear how English National Opera's ENO Breathe has brought long Covid sufferers together online to sing lullabies to help in their recovery. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to Jenny Mollica, a Director at the ENO, singing specialist Suzi Zumpe, and participant Sharon Sullivan.

Writer Qiu Xiaolong on his crime fiction about air pollution in China. At COP26 China came under scrutiny for its reluctance to end its use of coal. Qiu Xiaolong tells us how he is so concerned about the air in his home country, he based the 10th instalment of his best-selling Inspector Chen crime series, Hold Your Breath China, on the air pollution problem.

Producer: Emma Wallace

(Photo: Lung Shape Leaf Skeleton. Credit: Getty Images)

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Mon 29 Nov 2021 10:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Sat 27 Nov 2021 17:06GMT
  • Sat 27 Nov 2021 22:32GMT
  • Sun 28 Nov 2021 04:32GMT
  • Sun 28 Nov 2021 19:32GMT
  • Mon 29 Nov 2021 10:06GMT

Podcast