Breathing Room (2003)  In this installation the viewer confronts a seven-foot breathing machine pumping handmade leather bellows rhythmically, consistently.  The mechanical sounds compliment slow, groaning child-like accordian sounds accompanying the video.  A 15’x 9’ rawhide scrim, stitched together and stretched like flayed flesh on a steel frame receives the image of swarming spiders.  Both compelling and repulsive, the installation alludes to a painful narrative, distant enough to let the viewer complete the tale.  The similarity of the name to the single channel video: "Breathing Lessons" is due to the narrative connection. Although this piece was done first, in the body of work it becomes an abstract compliment to the more specific filmic work.

Breathing Room was exhibited at the McDonough Museum of Youngstown State Gallery  in 2003

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