THE shorts of an extreme athlete who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro wearing nothing else are among the items on show as part of a new exhibition about breathing.

Catch Your Breath is on at Palace Green Library, in Durham.

It explores what breathing allows us to do as well as the experience of people who are affected by breathlessness, often due to lung disease.

Items on display include historic stethoscopes, anaesthetic masks and inhalers on loan from the Royal College of Physicians of London, as well as sculptural works from artist Jayne Wilton and the shorts of Dutch extreme athlete Wim Hof, who is known as ‘The Ice Man’ because of his feats.

 

One of the exhibits, which has been loaned by the Wellcome Trust

Mr Hof developed a breathing technique which allows him to complete incredible feats including withstanding extreme cold.

Lead curator David Wright said: “We are inviting people to take a deep breath and step inside this lively exhibition to find out about how breath has inspired and powered the work of artists, athletes, writers and musicians.

“Visitors can learn what it feels like to have your breath taken away from you and discover the important role that breath plays in cultures all over the world.”

 

The exhibition is on at Palace Green Library, in Durham

The exhibition also showcases two newly commissioned artworks: a communal musical instrument called Ohmerometer II created by Helen Collard and Alistair MacDonald; and a combined design and musical work called Sleep Songs, created by the artists Stefanie Posavec and Miriam Quick. Sleep Songs was created from data collected from the artists’ breathing patterns as they slept.

A varied events programme will run throughout the exhibition including musical performances, chair yoga and mindfulness classes, and free family activities each weekend.

Catch Your Breath is on from Saturday November 24 to Sunday March 17. Entry is free.