“For Every Year the Pear Tree Witnessed”

Amid the polyphony of Tokyo, where sights and sounds collide, history melts, and colors blur, Ayumi Paul invites us to listen, to direct ourselves where the air might take us. In her guided meditation, Forms of Breath, participants are invited to breathe consciously, transforming public transit sites into sanctuaries of introspection, where the cadence of our breaths intertwines with the pulse of the city. As passengers embark on their journeys, Paul’s meditative soundscapes unfold like waves of collective breathing, creating moments of stillness within the rush of daily life. The rhythmic patterns of inhalation and exhalation echo the cyclical nature of the city itself, offering an immersive experience that slows the frenetic pace of one’s surroundings. Her soundscapes carve out moments of stillness, encouraging passengers to attune to their bodies and environments in a deeper, more mindful way. Each bus ride becomes a suspended moment, where the simple act of breathing mirrors the city’s own organic, cyclical flow.

Forms of Breath, 2024
(pear tree, breath)

breathing in
breathing out
20 x

breathing in
breathing out
50 x

breathing in
breathing out
until sunset

breathing in
breathing out
until the heart feels light

breathing in
breathing out
for every year the pear tree witnessed
250 x

breathing in
breathing out
until you hear a butterfly
breathing on the other side of the world

breathing in
breathing out
until time
becomes a quiet place

breathing in
breathing out
until a lost memory returns

breathing in
breathing out
filling the space with tenderness

breathing in
breathing out
with every bone in your body
206 x

breathing in
breathing out
until somewhere else
a dream comes true

breathing in
breathing out
like a love dance

(Cover image: Portrait of the artist, 2022. Photo: Debora Mittelstaedt, courtesy of Ayumi Paul)