Breath is more than just air flowing in and out of the body; it is a vehicle of life, of thought, of inspiration.What seems like an unconscious, biological process has manifold social and political dimensions. Accompanying the large-scale exhibition at the Hamburger Kunsthalle, the book brings together 45 artists from 18 countries, who explore different facets of breathing and its representation in the art of the Old Masters to the present. In an interplay with cultural studies, literature and lyrics they create an unconventional and exciting dialogue: from breath as a central biblical metaphor and as an expression of our relationship to the world, to air pollution and respiratory diseases, to racial violence.