WANDERING BREATH
2018
eucalyptus breath, glas object, steel rods
approx. 120cm x 40cm x 30cm

The fast-growing eucalyptus tree has been planted outside of its native country Australia for quite some time due to the high demand in the wood and paper industry worldwide. But in large-scale plantations the extreme water requirements of eucalyptus don’t bring only advantages as the groundwater level drops alarmingly. Furthermore, other plant constituents such as leaves cannot be utilized, since only the native Australian koala is able to digest them. The immigration of eucalyptus is therefore looked upon critically.

Yet, the tree’s essential oil has been widely used for alleviating respiratory problems. For the installation wandering breath, a glass object was filled in a chemistry laboratory in Berlin with the breath of the artist after consuming eucalyptus-containing products such as respiratory spray or cough drops, sealed and transported to this exhibition. The vessel, modelled on a human lung, which seems exhausted after its long journey, brings both, a foreign breath as a guest, and the eucalyptus back home. The widely travelled breathing gas was eventually set free by the cleaning lady, who accidentally shattert the glas lung object, as can be observed through the security camera installed in the gallery.