Breath Holding. Still.

As part of the City of Zurich Art Grants 2026 three soft sculptures "Breath Holding. Still." have been exhibited at Helmhaus in Zurich. 

„Textile coverings stretch over delicate steel structures, akin to a human skeleton. They hang from the wall or unfold in the space like fragile body forms. The woven surfaces are reminiscent of skin, hair, or protective membranes. Between softness and stability, sculptural formations emerge that appear to expand, brace themselves, or collapse inward. In this way, the works evoke associations with breathing, tension, or exhaustion, and move within an intermediate space between protection and vulnerability.

Marie Schumann combines textile processes with spatial and sculptural interventions. In doing so, she examines textiles as a material shaped by cultural, technical, and physical influences. The starting point for the works exhibited here are digitally translated photographs, which were transferred first into threads and then into textile structures using a computer-based Jacquard loom.

Breath Holding. Still. shifts the perception of textiles from a functional material toward a sculptural, organic, and atmospheric presence.“
Text by Viviane Mathis

Photos by Sabine Troendle

Still 1, 2 and 3., 2026

Polyester, aluminium, steel rods.

Breath Holding. Still.

Details photos of Still 2 and 3. 
Polyester, aluminium and steel rods.

© Marie Schumann