Breath

Breath begins with a slow drop into a circular, space like chamber that seems to float. Inside, a compact ring of medical waste and debris sits under stark light, a tiny ecosystem of kept remains. An exhale emerges, heavy and deliberate, then fades to stillness before gathering strength again. The sequence moves by rhythm rather than plot, turning breathing itself into the film's principal subject. No faces, no dialogue, just the sound of air and the minimal motion of the surrounding ring. The mood is austere and clinical, yet charged with a quiet tension as the breath ebbs and returns, hinting at life, fragility, and impermanence. Its quiet insistence lingers after the screen cuts away, inviting repeat viewing and contemplation.

Breath is a 2001 experimental short directed by Damien Hirst, with Samuel Beckett credited as the creator. Keith Allen stars as Vagitus Aspiration in a work that sits at the intersection of contemporary art and performance, and performance art today.

Box office data for this experimental piece is not widely reported, reflecting its status as a gallery and arthouse installation rather than a traditional commercial release. It has appeared primarily in museum and festival contexts worldwide and in limited screenings.

Breath has not been recognized with prominent film or television honors, which is typical for such avant garde projects. Its significance rests in the collaboration between Hirst and Beckett and its audacious confrontation with air, material waste, and human mortality. The work has circulated in contemporary art spaces, provoking discussion.

Critics have noted Breath as a stark, minimal meditation on breath, waste, and the fragility of existence. The piece invites viewers to observe the mechanics of life without narrative consolation, a mood that feels clinical yet strangely contemplative. Its stark setup invites questions about art as ritual for many viewers.