Isabella Flores
Artist Lauren Younge's exhibition, 'Breathe', explores the abstract nature of breathing and encourages viewers to reflect on what they are grateful for. Younge's work is inspired by the idea of being in charge and experimenting with colours and textures, creating art that is fun and stress-free. The exhibition includes paintings that visualise the invisible, reminding viewers that we are all connected and sharing the same air. Artist Alexa Meade also explores the concept of breathing paintings by painting directly onto human canvases, using brushstrokes and shadows to turn 3D scenes into 2D images. Meade's work challenges current trends in the art and technology industries, capturing the fleeting moment when art comes to life.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Alexa Meade |
| Medium | Paint |
| Canvas | Humans |
| Technique | Painting shadows and highlights to create the illusion of a 2D image |
| Time taken | 8 hours for background and clothes, 1 hour for painting the model, 2-3 hours for photography |
| Exhibition | The Meade Museum |
| Location | Miami Art Week |
| Year | 2016 |
| Followers | 104,000 on Instagram, 446,000 on Facebook |
| Related work | Breathe With Me – Breathing Watercolours |
| Artist | Lauren Younge |
| Exhibition | Breathe |
| Location | Millstone Gallery, COCA - Center of Creative Arts |
| Year | 2023 |
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What You'll Learn
Artist Lauren Younge's exhibition 'Breathe'
Younge's exhibition invites viewers to embrace vulnerability and explore their emotions, memories, and interpretations of the paintings. She hopes that her art will evoke feelings of warmth and joy, providing a moment of gratitude and rest for those who experience it.
The artist's preference for abstraction stems from her desire to break free from the constraints of realistic representation. Abstract art allows Younge to experiment with colours and textures, playing with their interactions and exploring the limitless possibilities that emerge. This freedom of expression is particularly evident in her use of opposite colour palettes and her signature shade of blue, which holds a special significance in her understanding of breathing.
Younge's educational background in traditional art and formal training influenced her artistic journey. She found that realistic art constrained her creativity, as it demanded an exact replication of the subject matter. In contrast, abstract art provided a stress-free space for experimentation and self-expression. This shift towards abstraction empowered Younge to embrace her unique artistic voice and make a profound connection with her audience through the elusive yet universal act of breathing.
Lauren Younge's 'Breathe' exhibition is a testament to the power of abstract art in evoking emotion and inspiring reflection. By inviting viewers to connect with their breath, Younge's compositions become a catalyst for vulnerability, gratitude, and a deeper appreciation for the present moment.
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Artist Alexa Meade's 'breathing' paintings
Artist Alexa Meade creates paintings that breathe. Based in Los Angeles, Meade is known for her unique style of painting on humans, using brushstrokes and shadows to camouflage her models into their backgrounds, thereby turning a 3D scene into a 2D image. She then captures these incredible illusions in a series of photographs.
Meade's process typically involves painting the background and clothes, which she says takes the longest time. She then paints the models' faces and bodies, using shadows and highlights to create the illusion of a flat 2D image. The final step is the photography, which she considers to be the moment when the artwork truly "comes to life". Meade's work challenges traditional art forms by creating flat images from something real, while also incorporating technology.
Meade began experimenting with this technique in 2009 while finishing her degree in political science. She drew inspiration from portrait artists such as Lucien Freud and Alice Neel, as well as the book "Seeing is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees" about 1970s minimalist artist Robert Irwin, who played with light and shadows. Meade's work has since received widespread recognition. She has been a TED Speaker, lectured at prestigious institutions, and held artist residencies at the World Trade Center, Google, and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. Her artwork has been exhibited at renowned galleries and museums, including the National Portrait Gallery, Art Basel, and the Grand Palais in Paris.
One of Meade's notable works is her collaboration with pop star Ariana Grande for the "God is a Woman" music video, which has garnered over 400 million views. She has also collaborated with actress and performance artist Sheila Vand, as well as magicians David Blaine and Zach King. Meade's work continues to push the boundaries of art, blurring the lines between 2D and 3D and leaving viewers questioning what is real and what is paint.
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Breathing Watercolours by Jeppe Hein
Jeppe Hein is a Danish artist based in Berlin who produces experiential and interactive artworks that intersect art, architecture, and technical inventions. Hein's work 'Breathing Watercolours' is part of his ongoing participatory public art project 'Breathe with Me', which was introduced in 2019 in Central Park, New York. The project aims to promote mental health, mindfulness, and community by inviting participants to paint vertical blue brushstrokes on a surface as they inhale and exhale, representing the rhythm and flow of their breathing. Hein views this as a fundamental and shared human experience, connecting people through the air they share.
Hein's own experience with conscious breathing, which he adopted after a personal breakdown almost ten years ago, inspired the creation of 'Breathing Watercolours'. The repetitive pattern of vertical blue stripes painted onto a white paper or wall represents the process of breathing in or out in full awareness. Each line corresponds to a breath stroke, with the colour starting intense and vigorous at the beginning of each stroke and gradually fading towards the bottom.
Initially, Hein painted 'Breathing Watercolours' by himself as part of his watercolour diary or as huge wall paintings. Over time, he began to invite visitors to his solo exhibitions to join in and paint their breath on the museum's walls. By involving public participation, Hein encourages people to focus on their body and mind in the present moment and to enter into an inner dialogue.
'Breathing Watercolours' demonstrates Hein's belief in the healing power of breathing and community. By connecting breathwork with artistic expression, participants are empowered to be more present, reflective, and empathetic. The artwork serves as a reminder to cooperate and share the world together, visualising the invisible breath that connects us all.
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The role of breath in meditation and yoga
Breath is an integral part of meditation and yoga practices. By focusing on the breath, one can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and promote mindfulness. The awareness of breath enables a balance between the body and mind, helping to calm and centre oneself. This is particularly evident in Jeppe Hein's "Breathing Watercolours", where each brushstroke represents a breath, with the colour fading as the breath is exhaled, symbolising the process of breathing in and out in full awareness.
In meditation, the breath is used as an anchor to the present moment. By observing the inhalation and exhalation, one can bring their attention to the here and now, letting go of worries about the past or future. This mindful breathing can be a powerful tool for managing stress and anxiety, as it activates the body's relaxation response, calming the mind and soothing the nervous system.
In yoga, the breath plays a vital role in connecting the mind and body. Yogic breathing techniques, such as pranayama, teach practitioners to breathe slowly and deeply, expanding the diaphragm and fully oxygenating the body. This type of breathing helps to cultivate a sense of presence and calm, enhancing the physical practice of yoga postures and promoting a deeper connection between the mind, body, and spirit.
Breathwork in yoga also helps to build focus and concentration. By synchronising the breath with movements, yogis can enter a state of "flow", where they are fully immersed in the present moment and their practice becomes a moving meditation. This unity of breath and movement can also help to release emotional blockages and promote a sense of emotional well-being.
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Breath as Sustenance: Four Artworks
The concept of breath and breathing has been an inspiration for artists for centuries, and the idea of breath as sustenance is a powerful one. The following four artworks explore this theme in unique and compelling ways.
Firstly, we have "Breathing Watercolours" by Jeppe Hein, a series of paintings that visualise the invisible connection between us all through the sharing of air. The artist himself experienced a personal breakdown and found conscious breathing to be a crucial element in his recovery. This is reflected in his work, where each brushstroke represents a breath, with stripes of colour fading from intense vigour to soft subtlety, mirroring the process of breathing in and out. Hein's work encourages viewers to "breathe with me", to inhale, hold, and exhale together, reminding us of the importance of cooperation and the power of breath in connecting us all.
Secondly, we turn to the exhibition "Breathe" by Lauren Younge, a collection of abstract paintings that elude the concrete form of breathing, instead inviting viewers to experience it through movement and colour. Younge's work encourages a sense of vulnerability and introspection, inviting viewers to explore their emotions and memories, and to reflect on moments of gratitude. Her use of colour is significant, with blues taking centre stage as a representation of breathing, complemented by lavenders, deep purples, and yellows. Younge's abstract style allows her to experiment with texture and colour theory, creating a sense of depth and intrigue that draws viewers into her world.
Thirdly, we have a collaborative performance piece from 1890, featuring the talents of painter John Singer Sargent and sculptor Saint-Gaudens. The pair worked simultaneously on their respective artworks, with Sargent painting "Portrait of a Boy", a vibrant portrait of Saint-Gaudens's son, while Saint-Gaudens sculpted a likeness of Sargent's sister. The scene was brought to life by Augusta Saint-Gaudens, the sculptor's wife, who read aloud to the restless boy, discreetly infusing the moment with life and energy. The pair's artworks, now housed in the Art Institute of Chicago, continue to breathe life into the scene for viewers, inviting them to imagine the lively community that catalysed their creation.
Lastly, we reflect on a powerful statement made by Holzbachová in the interwar period in Europe: "The air is saturated with death. We want to live." This statement, made in the shadow of the First World War and the looming threat of chemical weapons, symbolised by the gas mask, highlights the precious nature of breath and the ability to breathe. This artwork, a performance or perhaps a proclamation, serves as a reminder that where there is breath, there is life, and the ability to breathe is a fundamental right worth fighting for.
These four artworks, each exploring the theme of breath as sustenance, showcase the profound complexity and vital importance of the air we breathe. They inspire and connect, reminding us of our shared humanity and the power of art to celebrate and elevate this essential act.
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Frequently asked questions
The exhibition encourages viewers to be vulnerable in front of the pieces and explore how the work makes them feel. Younge hopes that the viewers can interpret the paintings and read the moments of gratitude that she has included in the exhibition.
Younge's artistic process involves the usage of colour and texture, playing with opposite palettes, and the importance of blue in her understanding of breathing. She also covers the original background in her paintings with layers of paint.
Meade paints directly onto human models, using brushstrokes and shadows to camouflage the figures into their backgrounds, turning a 3D scene into a 2D image. She then captures the artwork in a series of photographs.
Meade aims to complete her works in a single day. She spends 8 hours painting the background and clothes, 1 hour painting the model, and 2-3 hours on photography.
Meade's work goes against the grain of current trends in the art and technology industries. While many artists are interested in creating 3D works from 2D images, her work does the opposite by creating a flat image from something real.
