Ian Whittlesea: Breath Is Life

Blackpool’s Grundy Art Gallery will see fourteen drawings illuminated by a single ‘breathing’ light bulb for 24 hours a day, seven days a week as it hosts its latest exhibition, Ian Whittlesea’s Breath is Life, which opened on Saturday and will run until Saturday 14 March 2015.

In the late nineteenth century the self-styled Dr. Otoman Zar-Adusht Ha’nish founded Mazdaznan, a religious cult, which flourished across the USA and Europe until the 1940’s. The breathing exercises that Mazdaznan advocated are believed to have inspired a variety of figures including philosopher Frederick Nietzsche, War of the Worlds writer H.G. Wells and cornflake creator J. H. Kellogg. Thomas Edison is also said to have been deeply influenced by its teachings and to have named the first light bulb Mazda in its honour.

With this as inspiration, Ian Whittlesea presents a single iconic Mazda bulb hanging in the centre of the rotunda gallery that repeatedly fades up to an intense brightness and back down to black. ‘A Breathing Bulb’ continues to slowly pulse for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until the end of the exhibition, illuminating the Grundy and making it seem like a living being. Alongside the bulb will be a series of 14 of Whittlesea’s drawings of art students undertaking Mazdaznan breathing exercises, together with three light box photographs presented in the foyer.

These drawings and photographs relate to the famous Bauhaus art school of 1930s Germany, where foundation art students were taught the very same Mazdaznan movements by renowned artist Johann Itten.

Cllr Christine Wright, Cabinet Member for Culture and Heritage, said: “This exhibition is going to look spectacular and the ‘breathing bulb’ will operate 24 hours a day so people will also be able to see it outside the gallery at night.

“To truly appreciate the exhibition, you need to come in to the gallery and look at the drawings and photographs and I hope that people will come and visit.”

There will also be a talk by the artist on Saturday 14 March 2.30pm. The talk is free but places must be booked in advance by calling Grundy Art Gallery on 01253 478170 or emailing:  grundyartgallery@blackpool.gov.uk.

Admission is free for all but donations are welcome and will contribute to the running of the gallery.