The artist duo 'Relational' — Shirley Tse and Dana Berman Duff — explore the intangible ties that connect us to the cosmos through their extraordinary exhibition, The Universe Breathes Us. Here, breath, moon and tides are brought into a dance of physical elements, making the invisible manifest.
At Kling and Bang in Reykjavik and Shoshana Wayne Gallery in Los Angeles, Tse's photographs and sculptures interact with Duff's videos to create a profound experience — as if the universe is breathing us. In 'Orkney Moon', a rice paper-covered soccer ball morphs into lunar sculptures, while 'The Breathing Ocean (Portal)' sees a video of an Icelandic choir fracturing into northern lights.
These works are not just art; they're a meditation on time and impermanence. Tse explains how she was inspired by tidal turbines to explore the relational force between Earth and Moon, while Duff speaks of her journey from sculpture to film, embracing impermanence in her work through time-based media.
Their title, 'Relational', is a nod to both their collaborative process and the fundamental forces that tie us to celestial bodies. Yet, it’s the subtle interplay of elements that truly encapsulates this exhibition's magic — like the unseen breaths that make the universe dance with us.







