There are those exhibitions that don't just show art, but turn your world upside down for a moment. To Breathe - Mokum, Kimsooja's latest site-specific installation at the Old Church, does just that. Where you normally wander through the medieval space with a certain solemnity, the church now seems like a breathtaking cocoon of light.
The floor of the church is covered with a reflective film that reflects back rainbow colors - think of an oil slick dancing on ancient stones. Daylight, which enters through the gothic windows, refracts through the material in spectacular fashion, making the building seem to be in continuous motion. As if the church is breathing.
Kimsooja's work always revolves around breathing, presence and stillness. Her minimalist approach feels grand in this context. Nothing is lavish, but everything speaks. The acoustics of the space, the slow movement of light, the gentle creak of your own steps on the floor - it's art that opens your senses, not just your eyes.
"You are standing in a monument, but it feels like you are floating in a prism of timeless light."
The title Mokum - Yiddish for Amsterdam - emphasizes the cultural polyphony of this place. In the Oude Kerk, where the past is literally in the stones, Kimsooja allows a new narrative to emerge. One in which breath, light and space tell the story. And you, the visitor, are invited to stand still for a moment. Or rather: to breathe with you.