Jeppe Hein’s Breathe with Me to adorn Nordic Pavilion
A growing number of artists are using their work to tackle climate issues and to challenge their audiences to reflect on the situation. “Breathe with Me” is an international art project that will bring the whole world together through a simple, universal act: A breath. In addition to its focus on the community between people worldwide, the project also aims to raise awareness about clean air, the climate and our planet.
This is why the Nordic Council of Ministers is bringing Breathe with Me to COP27, inviting all COP attendees to come by the pavilion and paint the stroke of their breath. Every day between 14:00 and 14:40, we will be painting strokes of breath on the walls of the pavilion.
Breathe with Me launched in 2019, in partnership with ART 2030, in New York at the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly. It has since traveled across the world, to more than 15 countries and four continents.
"Breathing is a quintessential metaphor for life itself, as life on land depends on the existence of oxygen in the atmosphere of the earth. It is essential for each and every one of us and connects us all. Every day we breathe about 21,600 times, approximately 15 times a minute. The majority of these breaths pass unnoticed and unobserved, due to its rhythm and general invisibility. Nevertheless, in order to conceive the immanent presence of air and breath in our lives just look at the people around you and you will notice that something connects us all – the movement of our chests, the necessity to breathe.
Breathing means to be in constant communication with the world - always present and fundamental for communication and language, it is an essential expression of the body and mind. Therefore, by controlling the breath, one mutually connects to oneself as well as to the world around. Inhaling and exhaling in a way, that allows you to be aware of your ‘being-in-the-world-with-others’ will strengthen your self-awareness and confidence as well as the ability to connect with others and eventually with oneself."
From breathewithme.world
Life begins with an inhale and ends with an exhale. In-between we all breathe and live different lives. And yet, each breath keeps us together, connected, sharing the same air.
The role art plays
On the opening day of the pavilion, we will host a Nordic Talk with Claire Aichholzer from Jeppe Hein studio on the role art plays in countering climate change.
Join us online here: