Imagine the bright spectrum of colors you would bask in while walking through a cathedral full of rainbows. To Breathe – A Mirror Woman is Kimsooja’s 2006 site-specific installation for the Palacio de Cristal in Madrid, Spain. To expand and unite the architectural structure of the space, Kimsooja had the whole floor tiled in mirrors. She then covers the vault and the entire glass surface of the palace with a translucent diffraction film. When outside light filters through the glass and reflects off the film, it creates a rainbow spectrum that is mirrored in every part of the atrium.
The installation is also part performance. Kimsooja plays a recording of her breathing from an earlier piece entitled The Weaving Factory. The breathing progresses and transitions in and out of different tones and rhythms, subtly moving visitors through several emotional states and making the installation an experience beyond the visual.
