Jasmine Pradissitto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jasmine Pradissitto
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| Born | January 26, 1966 Taunton, Somerset
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Jasmine Pradissitto is an artist, scientist, and speaker from London. Her work is all about protecting our environment and making things last (sustainability). She is the only artist allowed to use a special material called Noxtek. This material is like a super sponge that soaks up harmful air pollution called nitrogen dioxide.
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About Jasmine Pradissitto
Early Life and Learning
Jasmine Pradissitto was born in Taunton, a town in Somerset, England. Her father was Italian, and her mother was French. As a child, she often traveled to Italy in the summer. She has said that Italy feels like her spiritual home.
Jasmine's interest in art began by copying pictures from nature books and encyclopedias. Later, she became interested in comic books and graphic novels.
She earned a PhD from University College London in 1996. Her studies were very scientific, focusing on tiny particles in fiber optics. While studying science, she also took art classes in the evenings at Goldsmiths College. She later completed a degree in fine art at the Sir John Cass School of Art, Architecture and Design in 2006. There, she spent two years learning about printmaking.
Her Work as an Artist
Jasmine Pradissitto's art mainly focuses on important topics like environmental protection, how living things interact (ecology), and making things sustainable. She also explores how art and science can work together. Her art has been shown in over 65 exhibitions around the world.
She is known for her paintings and her sculptures. Many of her sculptures are made from recycled plastics. She is also famous for using Noxtek, a special material that absorbs harmful nitrogen dioxide pollution from the air. Jasmine spent two years figuring out how to use Noxtek in her art. She is currently the only artist in the world allowed to use this unique material.
Art for Cleaner Air
In 2018, Jasmine Pradissitto created a sculpture called Breathe. This artwork was made with Noxtek. It was part of a project to encourage people to walk on less polluted streets near Euston station in London. The sculpture was inspired by old Greek and Roman statues.
In May 2020, Jasmine made a new sculpture called Flower Girl. This piece was placed in a special bee garden at the Horniman Museum in London. Flower Girl is made entirely of Noxtek. It can absorb a lot of pollution from the air. This sculpture helps local bees because nitrogen dioxide can hide the smell of flowers, making it hard for bees to find food.
Other Art Projects
In 2019, Jasmine worked with a hat designer named Carrie Jenkinson. They created a hat for Serena Churchill, who is the great-granddaughter of Winston Churchill. She wore the hat at Ascot. The hat had plastic butterflies and was partly made from recycled plastic. Jasmine said she used the hat to show the dangers butterflies face from climate change and losing their natural homes.
In 2020, Jasmine was one of several artists who designed bottles for an eco-friendly cleaning brand called Method. Later that year, she was nominated for the first-ever Sustainability First Art Prize.
Teaching and Speaking
Jasmine Pradissitto has also created a program that teaches STEAM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) to children and teachers. She has given talks for big companies like Glaxo and the BBC. She continues to speak about creative thinking for groups like the Institute of Physics and the Institute of Civil Engineers. She is also a visiting lecturer on creativity at London South Bank University.
Personal Life
Jasmine Pradissitto lives in South London. Her art is influenced by science, ancient Greek stories, technology, and the modern world. A personal event also inspired her work: her son had an asthma attack in 2016. This made her even more focused on creating art that promotes clean air and sustainable ways of living.
