2001

On Ethics, Aesthetics and Breathing

2001

Marina Razheva, 2001

Text-based action / instruction

Preface 1

If we speak of creativity as an addition to reality, there are many ways to read it. One can add an object to a room, open the cupboard doors, or rearrange them (not yet creativity, rather combinatorics). One can throw open a window, remove a wall, or build on another room (this is closer).

Different levels, one aim.

Preface 2

When a small window is opened in a closed space, at first the fresh air breaking into the familiar atmosphere seems sacrilegious and destructive. Then it seems ordinary and necessary. Later, unnoticeable.

And at that moment, perhaps, it is time to open a window.

Aesthetics is like air: at first it excites, then it seems habitual, necessary, natural, until the next change.

The creative act is the opening of the small window.

Whether this action is ethical depends on the situation.

It is, of course, a metaphor, but to make it real one can carry out the ACTION On Ethics, Aesthetics and Breathing:

Breathe in a closed room until the air is used up, then open the small window.

Notes

  1. The reaction will depend on the composition, mood, preparedness and other states of the people breathing.
  2. When the window is opened, fresh air comes in, and information leaves: the changed composition of the air, produced by the presence of the people in the room, goes out.
  3. The experiment can be varied by using holotropic breathing instead of ordinary breathing.
  4. If desired, it can be continued with other actions: open a window, or go outside (not necessarily through the window).

Publication

The text was published as written instructions in Sputnik. Technology of Active Reflection, a co-operative book of poetry, vol. 2. Kemerovo: S.N.K., 2001, pp. 37–38.

The artist did not attend the symposium. She believes that participants may have carried out the action during the event, but no documentation of this is known.

Related Work

Project Dossier

ON ETHICS, AESTHETICS AND BREATHING

2001, REFLECTIONS

(A Point of View)

Preface 1

If we think of artistic practice as an augmentation of reality, there can be many interpretations.

You can add an object to a room. You can open the doors of a cupboard. You can rearrange them—which is not yet creation, but rather combinatorics. You can open a window. You can remove a wall. You can build another room onto the existing one. That is already closer.

And so on…

Different levels. One goal.

Preface 2

When a small window is opened in an enclosed space, at first the fresh air entering the familiar atmosphere may seem almost sacrilegious, destructive.

Then it becomes ordinary and necessary.

Later, unnoticed.

And at that moment, perhaps, it is time to open the window.

Aesthetics is similar to air. At first it agitates us, then becomes familiar, necessary, natural.

Until the next change.

And the creative act is precisely the opening of the window.

Whether this act is ethical or not depends on the situation.

Clearly, this is a metaphor. But in order to give the metaphor reality, one can perform

the ACTION “On Ethics, Aesthetics and Breathing”:

Breathe into an enclosed space and open a small window.

NOTES

  1. The reaction will depend on the composition, mood, preparedness, and other conditions of those present and breathing.
  2. When the window is opened, it is not only fresh air that enters the room. Information also leaves it, in the form of a change in the composition of the air produced by the life activity of those present.
  3. The experiment can be modified by using holotropic breathing instead of ordinary breathing.
  4. If desired, the experiment can be continued by performing other actions: for example, opening the window—or perhaps going outside (not necessarily through the window)…

Marina Razheva
Published in the proceedings of the Third International Symposium
Sputnik. Technology of Active Reflection
Kemerovo, 2001.