A sixth form student shares her experience as part of her work placement at the MFO, reflecting on the 'Breathing' with 'Breaths-Air Bladders' exhibition

"Following the discussions around "pure" air during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, this exhibition acknowledges the central role breathing plays in a variety of fields in our day-to-day life, as well as its its place in social and cultural history. The exhibit 'Breathing' has been developed from two 2024 workshops, the first focusing on the concept of breathing, and the second assessing respiratory systems in different spatial contexts. Filomena Borecka's 2018 "Breaths-Air Bladders" sculpture is showcased within this exhibition, exploring our interdependency with air as well as its unrestricted nature, continuously breathing and bringing to life the two white canvas shapes.

This exhibition also explores through the social sciences the many histories of air, from Neo-Hippocratic thought  to "enlightened medicine", and the advancement of the pneumatic chemistry with Priestley and Lavoisier, examining the human perception of air and breathing with regards to our health and public policy. 

The section on "Spaces and Environments: Sharing the Air" puts forward a criteria for good air quality, also indicating the influence of various human activities on this air quality, presenting it as a shared condition and product of social life. Leading from this, the exhibition suggests the significance of various French and English laws and acts in maintaining the cleanliness of air, demonstrating our universal responsibility in conserving the cleanliness of air in various spatial-contexts. 

Finally, the exhibition reveals the development of technology to reduce the health risk of "stale" air in hostile environments, including the creations of masks and respirators, for example, revealing their utility in various circumstances. 

This exhibition has made me so much more aware of the central role that air and breathing plays in our society. The statue was very thought-provoking, making me consider how much I take air and breathing for granted in my everyday life, which made me intrigued to find out more about the role of technology and public policy in developing this. I would definitely recommend this exhibition to anyone wanting to learn more about such a crucial concept."

by Hannah Sherrington
6th form - Wood Green School, Witney

'The exhibition Breathing' with 'Breaths-Air Bladders' is on display at the MFO from 19 May to 26 June 2025