The Breathing Room - Project Summary

Overview

“The Breathing Room” is a major installation planned for Q3 2027 at the McConnell Arts Center in Columbus, Ohio. This project transforms a 1,000-square-foot gallery into a minimalist breathing temple that advances dialogue on meditation, environmental consciousness, and collective engagement as pathways to global harmony and health.

Core Installation Elements

Breathing Scroll Curtain

A monumental curtain of large-scale hanging scrolls suspended from ceiling to floor in a circular formation. A hidden mechanical system enables the entire curtain to slowly expand and contract, mimicking breath at the optimal 5.5-second rate found across contemplative practices from Buddhist chanting to the Catholic rosary. The scrolls feature handwritten community testimonies about breath, healing, and environmental connection, painted using traditional Japanese calligraphy techniques learned during our 2025 Asian Cultural Council Fellowship.

Veiled Central Sculpture

An 8-foot permanent sculpture of a contemplative figure (based on C.'s photographic work) positioned within the breathing curtain. This piece will be fabricated by a local company using lightweight, durable materials suitable for permanent installation. The sculpture remains partially concealed through carefully orchestrated lighting, echoing the veiled gods and icons encountered in Taoist temples and Shinto shrines, returning mystery to our increasingly transparent world.

Projection and Lighting System

Ethereal lighting and projections of religious iconography from various traditions—Buddhist mandalas, Christian sacred hearts, Islamic geometric patterns, indigenous medicine wheels—alongside handwritten community reflections. These projections cycle slowly, allowing visitors to witness how different cultures have visualized sacred breath or life force.

Community Engagement

Pre-exhibition workshops with local meditation centers, environmental organizations, and healing communities will collect handwritten testimonies. Daily guided breathing sessions during the exhibition will explicitly connect personal breathing practices to environmental awareness, building community resilience through shared contemplative experience.

Funding Status

• Secured: $3,700 in leveraged funding
  • Greater Columbus Arts Council: $1,200 (scroll prototyping - completed)
  • Ohio Arts Council: $2,500 (final scroll production)
• Requested: Creative Capital Grant - $50,000 for production
• In-Kind: McConnell Arts Center venue, local fabrication partnerships, community workshop venues

Budget Allocation (Total: $51,000)

1. Sculptural Fabrication & Materials — $12,000

   • Hand-painted large-scale scroll materials and mounting systems
   • 8-foot permanent central sculpture (local fabrication)
   • Collaboration fees and finishing treatments

2. Mechanical “Breathing” System — $8,000

   • Custom mechanical components and engineering consultation
   • Quiet motors, controllers, safety testing

3. Media & Lighting Systems — $10,000

   • Projection equipment and traditional blessing lamp-inspired lighting
   • Audio system for ambient soundscape

4. Artist Fees & Labor — $8,000

   • 18-month design, fabrication, and installation period

5. Installation, Transportation & Insurance — $5,000

6. Community Engagement & Accessibility — $3,000

   • Public programs and accessibility accommodations

7. Contingency — $5,000

Timeline

Phase 1 (Months 1-6): Community engagement and content development Phase 2 (Months 7-12): Technical production and sculpture fabrication Phase 3 (Months 13-18): Installation and programming

Foundation Alignment

This project directly addresses three core focus areas:

• Environmental Consciousness: Breath as fundamental connection between humans and natural world
• Human Connection & Empathy: Community testimony collection and synchronized breathing experiences
• Transformative Practices: Contemplative space that shifts consciousness through embodied experience rather than intellectual argument

Exhibition Context

McConnell Arts Center’s mission to build new pathways for community engagement with contemporary art aligns perfectly with our practice of creating accessible contemplative experiences. The free-to-the-public venue ensures broad community access to transformative art that serves audiences beyond traditional gallery visitors.