Breathing Space
Breathing is a natural process that doesn’t require thinking. It is characterized by repetitive movements: breathing in and out.
One definition of space is a physical continuous area or expanse which is free, available, or unoccupied. While going on a stroll through the different landscapes in the polder “Bemmelse Waard” space shows its many faces. But always in that space one can find repetitions in landscape elements, or movements within. These repetitions , or rhythms,, guide my breathing into different states of meditation. As such I find rest and relaxation.
This for me is the definition of breathing space:
“Landscape elements, or movements within, creating rhythms that guide my meditative breathing, creating rest and relaxation”
This projects shows you this breathing space for the different landscapes. By using long-exposure techniques, with exposures ranging between 1/8th of a second up to more than three minutes, I capture the repetitive rhythms surrounding me.
The Dike
Protector of the villages, farmlands and industries from high water from the river Waal. Crossing the dike from where I live in Bemmel brings me in the Bemmelse Waard and fills me with joy when I enter my “playground” for this project. Which hidden rhythms will I find in yet another stroll through the different areas?
The Farmlands
Crossing the dike first brings me into fertile ground, accessible most of the time for farmers to grow their crops and farm animals. In recent years parts of the farmlands have been given back to nature, resulting in increasing number of birds and plants. Rhythms of birdwatching or lying flat on my belly determining plants come easy in both good and bad weather.
The River
The Waal is the largest river in the Netherlands, busy with barges. It is the repetitive sound accompanying the splashes of barge-generated waves that draws me to the river. Closing my eyes I can listen for minutes, my breathing following the rhythm of the water and my thoughts calming to a meditative state.
The Factory
Clay and sand deposited from the river are valuable resources for construction.
In 2021 I was kindly invited to visit the sand collection factory of K3. Being a factory that needs to make profit they at the same time invest in development of new nature, a much needed activity in The Netherlands. My visit felt like a trip to a different planet; unexpectedly, all the sand surrounding me had a calming effect on my breathing.
In 2020 I was kindly invited to visit the brick factory for my project. Whereas the factory buildings stand seemingly forever, people working in the factory fade quickly in the silent bricks, leaving an occasional footstep in the dust.
The Forests
Standing in the forests (Ooijbossen) I see plenty of randomness. Crossing tree-lines of fallen willows that branch out again, irregular movement of the leaves in the wind and erratic movement of birds and mammals. Closing my eyes I can hear different rhythms associated to them, from the slow cracking trees to the rustle of leaves in the wind. Many consider the Ooijbossen chaotic an impenetrable, for my they express a vibrant harmony in which I love to get lost in time.
The Lakes
Filled by rainfall and water from the Waal the lakes are generally more quiet than the river. In autumn and winter fog forms easily above its waters and shores and in the absence of wind their water surfaces turn into mirrors. I love to reflect, sitting at the shores, letting my thoughts wander in many directions, not unlike taking a stroll throughout the Bemmelse Waard itself. Sometimes my mind calms so I can see my inner reflections, sometimes I loose focus like on a misty morning, and other times turbulence surfaces, setting my emotions upside down.