In terms of both form and content, Breath Holding Spell draws directly on Bruce Nauman’s artist’s book LA AIR, published in 1970,

which features photographs of the atmosphere across eight monochrome pages, capturing the diverse hues of the air above Los Angeles.
It serves as a template for Nairy Baghramian’s artist’s book, which depicts variations on a photographic motif: In Tight Sluice, only a fragmentary view of a group of people standing tightly packed together can be seen. Monochrome pages, which echo the colours of the clothing, alternate rhythmically with the illustrated pages.

Like Nauman’s original, the books bear the artist’s signature on the back cover; however, his signature has been facsimiled and printed.