BREATHING COMMONS: AFFECTIVE AND SOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN SELF AND OTHERS

Abstract

This paper reports on our ongoing research focusing on cultivating and exploring the topic of what we refer to as breathing commons. We approach breathing as an affective and somatic bodily function that ties the individual with the collective, and through that aim to foster affective commoning among bodies. We present two workshops, one physical and one online, that we have ran amongst our research group on breathing commons. Three themes emerged from the analysis of the workshop activities: a) The body as a membrane, b) feelings of intimacy, vulnerability and awkwardness, and c) mutual engagement and care. These show a path towards engaging with breathing, and potentially with other bodily functions and biodata, aiming to open up the design space of doing affective commoning through bodily functions that act as a connection between bodies – both human and non-human.