BREATHING TIME

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( 2014,

Interactive installation,

210 x 85 x 50 cm,

belt with pressure sensor, apparatus, light bulbs, construction wood, stainless steel construction, solar powered clock )

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The work consist of a belt that contains a pressure sensor which is connected to an apparatus and nine lightbulbs. The user puts the belt around their belly, pushes a red button and starts breathing deeply, with the lower part of their lungs, from the abdomen. After five seconds the reflectors start to follow the breathing of the user, with the inhale the light grows more intense, and with the exhale it diminishes. The intensity of the light follows the intensity of the breathing.

A modified clock is placed thirty centimeters in front of the reflectors. It works only when there is a source of light of certain intensity behind it. The clock is white, has no numbers, and has just one red hand that shows seconds. The clock works only when the person is breathing.

At the level of the biologically and psychologically conditioned perception of time, this work has an effect by encouraging deep breathing, and because of the visual experience of the change of light, creates a relaxing and meditative state.

The project is a response to our accelerated and stressful manner of life, in which we are all the time thinking and multi-tasking, always in the past or future. Through interaction with the work, the focus is directed on a single action, breathing, which brings us into the state of mind that is here and now. We become more aware of our body, of our life in the present moment. In this way our perception of time changes too. Time only has meaning when we are breathing, yet our busy lives give us so little breathing time.

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Technical coworker: Nikola Kukić