A double vinyl and a catalogue that constitute a proper extension of the exhibition with which the Capc in Bordeaux continues to question the forms that the museum can take (here transformed into a temporary breathing assistance machine) by developing the idea of the exhibition as an atmosphere, with the aim of creating a renewed awareness of what it means to breathe, not only on an individual level, but also on a collective one, at a time when the world is living in a climate of generalized asphyxia. In recent years, the convergence of political, ecological and public health phenomena has led to the simple act of breathing being seen as a privilege. We have been able to observe and analyse the differentiated impact of air pollution depending on its social origins, the ease with which the airways of certain populations can be blocked under the pretext of maintaining order ("I Can't Breathe"), and the potential for air to become a threat due to the viruses and other harmful agents it can contain.

 

In a museum, air is a subject in its own right. Displaying and conserving works of art requires special control and management, because art needs stable, neutral air if it is to survive. This implies that the museum contains its own air, different from that of the outside world. Air de repos (Breathwork) asks whether it might be possible to breathe differently in the museum. In order to imagine the Capc as a rest area, the exhibition was built around the idea of a "museum without images". The aim is to combat retinal fatigue and the centrality of the eye in museums, and to give images a rest. Comprising mainly installations, ready-mades and sound works, the guest artists share the idea that sculpture breathes. 

 

The catalogue accompanying the exhibition is in the form of a double vinyl and a 96-page book. With contributions from the 28 guest artists, it is a genuine extension of the exhibition.