video still
forgive me for speaking in my own tongue
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video still
to practice the study of breathing
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I have been considering our presence as a Black community - those who came before us, those of us who are here in the present, and those who will be here after us. While reading an article about visual artist Tim Whiten, I learned that he spent time in Japan studying “the practice of breathing”.[1] It was this action, the practice of breathing, that was the impetus for this new work. Our presence is made certain by the simple act (an act of necessity and of resistance) of our ability, choice, fight, and will to breathe. I have been thinking about breathing as an act of labour, in the sense that it is a form of work - for some it comes easily and for others it is a challenging task. For some of us, we need to practice to breathe and to remind ourselves to breathe, especially in those moments of anxiety and urgency when the only way to manage is by holding our breath.
In the video, to practice the study of breathing (it seemed to me more than just to speak,), I participate in 4 different breathing exercises. In between each exercise I am seen holding my breath for as long as I can. In forgive me for speaking in my own tongue (4 minutes and 12 seconds before entering melancholy), I am engaged in the act of meditating on my breathing, each inhale and exhale. The exercise stops once I am no longer focused on my breathing.
[1] Ireland, Ann. “Tim Whiten: The Real Deal.” Canadian Art., 15 Dec. 2011. Web. 28 December 2015.
In the video, to practice the study of breathing (it seemed to me more than just to speak,), I participate in 4 different breathing exercises. In between each exercise I am seen holding my breath for as long as I can. In forgive me for speaking in my own tongue (4 minutes and 12 seconds before entering melancholy), I am engaged in the act of meditating on my breathing, each inhale and exhale. The exercise stops once I am no longer focused on my breathing.
[1] Ireland, Ann. “Tim Whiten: The Real Deal.” Canadian Art., 15 Dec. 2011. Web. 28 December 2015.