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Breath is the invisible light within us — a connection point between spirit, the land, and the spaces we inhabit.
Jamal Hussain works with light as a fragile, living entity. Early humans witnessed its daily disappearance and reemergence, often regarding this rhythm as sacred. This shaped rituals, survival, and reverence for the divine. From humanity’s origins, we have been deeply connected to this substance. In this work, breath becomes a reference for memory; the textures projected act as records of landscapes he has experienced. The synchronicity of pattern and motion slows our perception of time, opening paths toward awareness.
This new work sparked an investigation into Hussain’s affinity for the subject. He learned that during much of his childhood, he heard and spoke the term Noor (also spelt Nur, Nor, or Nour), which in Arabic translates to “light.” He believes in the energy that light holds and that we are beings of light, drawing on its essence to breathe life into the environments we build, whether physical or spiritual. Inspired by Dadaism, Minimalism, and the Light and Space movements, Hussain has been working toward simplifying his approach to creating work. This applies both to the materials he chooses with sustainability in mind and to the visuals he selects to convey his ideas. These decisions have been highly influenced by his overexposure to information via algorithmic systems. He questions the current attention economy and the image culture it has created, looking to light as a medium to challenge these perspectives. Considering the overarching themes around which he has built his work, Hussain identifies light as the connecting element between earth, technology, and humanity.
With Breath of Light, Hussain discovered a third plane, using the floor to create a platform for light. Working with digital artifacts processed through software and projected via high-power lasers, he programs subtle changes over long periods of time within variables such as brightness, contrast, direction, and scale. For him, this process is a form of meditation, usually done in darkness. He considers the work complete when he feels the light come alive within it. He invites guests to observe and harmonize.
Title: Aliento / Breath
Dates: 09/04/25 - 10/04/25
Show: Solo, curated by Monica Vega
Location: Fosforo, Mexico City, MX
Medium: New Media, Digital Sculpture
Materials: Light, 3-plane wall, 1-channel video
Dimensions: 120"x50"x50"