Breathe: you're inhaling 2.4 billion-year-old air – and it’s changing everything
Visitors to Mona in Tasmania are now literally breathing history, inhaling oxygen that hasn't touched human lungs for over two and a half billion years. The immersive installation, ‘Breathe,’ offered by Julian Charrière and Breathe, is more than just an art piece; it's a profound connection to Earth’s primordial past.
A time machine in stone
The exhibit centers around meticulously sourced ancient iron ore from Australia’s Pilbara region. Each day, a dedicated lab extracts water from this geological time capsule, a process meticulously documented. This water then undergoes electrolysis – a scientific procedure – to isolate the oxygen, releasing it into a carefully controlled environment.
‘It’s like a time machine,’ Charrière explained, ‘a way to get back to the beginning of the Earth.’ The experience is deliberately solitary, guiding visitors through a narrow, subterranean corridor lined with raw sandstone and deep red rocks, culminating in a cylindrical chamber bathed in the filtered light of a Tasmanian winter.
But the impact goes deeper than mere spectacle. Each breath taken within the installation is unique, representing a direct connection to the very first free oxygen produced on our planet, a pivotal moment known as the Great Oxidation Event. “You are connected to the beginning of life on Earth but you are also – and that is the crazy thing about this space – you are also the first person to inhale that oxygen,” Charrière stated.
Beyond the breath: a deeper exploration
‘Breathe’ is part of a larger exhibition, ‘Hard Core,’ which delves into Charrière's broader fascination with geology and deep time. The show explores themes of erosion, transformation, and our long-standing relationship with the planet through a series of compelling installations, including depictions of glacial landscapes and the slow, relentless work of erosion. Consider the photograph series, ‘Blue Fossil Entropic Stories,’ where Charrière stands dwarfed by Icelandic icebergs, a small, deliberate mark against the vastness of geological time. Other works, like ‘Controlled Burn,’ showcase the power and beauty of natural destruction – a hypnotic film of imploding fireworks – offering a visceral reminder of the planet’s dynamic forces.
The installation isn’t simply about observing; it’s about becoming part of the narrative. As visitors inhale, they unknowingly contribute to the ongoing cycle of oxygen, a tiny, impermanent link in a chain stretching back billions of years. Ultimately, each breath taken within ‘Breathe’ is a final, poignant act – a release of this ancient oxygen, a return to the Earth from which it originated.
‘You are breathing something which is so pure and has not been touched by any being before you … And the beauty of the piece is you will carry it until you die.’