23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Artistic
The Air We Breathe, The Future We Inherit

A stark, staged performance in Indonesia confronts an invisible nightmare: microplastic contamination. This image, featuring a newborn mannequin receiving IV fluids of plastic-laden water, visualizes the toxic inheritance already passed. A scientific study by Ecoton found microplastics present in Malang's rainwater, air, and ground sources. The highest concentration reached 98 particles per liter of rainwater in Blimbing District. Fibrous particles from synthetic clothing and plastic film are dominant. Submitted in the Artistic category, this photograph is a terrifying prophecy: Our air, our water, and the very biology of future generations are not just at risk, they are already irrevocably compromised.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 08.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Malang, East Java, Indonesia
Camera: Canon EOS 7D
Copyright: © Ari Bowo Sucipto