As far back as history tells us, art has been intertwined with death. For example, cultures around the world have frequently made grand artistic monuments to life through the creation of decorative tombs, headstones, crypts, columbaria, and other memorial art. The “death mask” and funeral portrait also make up a common genre throughout the history of art which memorializes the likenesses of the deceased. Memento Mori and Vanitas paintings of the seventeenth century had the sole purpose of reminding us that we are going to die. There have been countless imaginative depictions of the concept of death itself, painted as a skeleton, grim reaper, or other ghastly dark figure throughout art history. Death has continued to be a commonly explored subject all the way through modern and contemporary art… thus, one could say that the history of art is innately a death curious one.
Each of these examples of death depicted in visual art can be linked to artists expressing the human need to understand our temporary existence. Creativity is a fundamental part of humanity, so naturally the art that we make often deals with very human subjects like our ephemerality. In a society in which confronting our human relationship to death is still taboo, and death avoidance is prevalent, experiencing works of art that represent death in real, honest, impactful ways can help us get curious about our mortality. Curiosity can help us approach hard subjects like death in a healthy way. Death curious artworks inspire honest conversations which can help us work toward dismantling our innate fear of death. Thus, the death curious history of art can be a useful tool for simultaneously confronting our mortality, and helping us deal with the fears around it through healthy conceptual, creative, and conversational outlets.
Here are 5 examples of death curious visual art, which help us confront our own mortality in healthy and expansive ways:
1) Untitled (Portrait of Ross in LA) by Felix Gonzolez-Torres
One of the most prolific works of art about death I’ve ever experienced in person is Untitled (Portrait of Ross in LA) by Felix Gonzalez-Torres. The piece features a pile of hard candy in bright wrappers, heaped in the corner of the room in which it is exhibited, which begins at 175 lbs when first installed. Throughout the course of its exhibition, each viewer of the artwork is invited to take a piece of candy, until eventually the pile is gone. At first, I thought the piece was fun, joyful, sweet (no pun intended). However, the conceptual weight of the piece is much more involved and heavy.
Untitled (Portrait of Ross in LA) is actually a portrait of the death of Gonzalez-Torres’ partner, Ross. Ross, was a victim of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980’s, and the artist had to watch his partner slowly deteriorate from an incurable disease, until his eventual death. The pile of colorful candy represents Ross, and each time it is installed, it starts as 175 lbs– Ross’ weight before becoming sick. As the pile shrinks from gallery visitors taking pieces throughout the day, it becomes a reflection of Ross’ withering body, until finally there is nothing left.
Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Untitled (Portrait of Ross in LA), 1991, Candies in variously colored wrappers, endless supply, dimensions vary by installation, 175 lbs. Photo from The Art Institute of Chicago’s website, courtesy of the Felix Gonzalez-Torres Foundation.
When I got to experience Untitled (Portrait of Ross in LA) in person, the meaning and conceptual precision with which it is executed was extremely impactful. As I witnessed, and took part in, the active dissolution of that beautiful, colorful pile of candy, the tragedy of a vibrant, loving person being worn away slowly by an incurable disease was made clear. Experiencing this work of art changed the way that I thought about losing a loved one, and my understanding of death. This work of art has the power to give viewers a glimmer of what anticipatory grief can feel like, and helps us understand that, regardless of how, death is inevitable for us all.
Untitled (Portrait of Ross in LA) was first exhibited in 1991, and has been shown repeatedly in major art museums around the world. It is currently at the Art Institute of Chicago.
2) Kiki Smith Untitled and Abject Theory
Kiki Smith is an artist known for exploring themes related to the human body, including its vulnerabilities, mortality, and bodily fluids. Her artwork, Untitled consists of a series of glass jars, each labeled as containing a different bodily fluid, such as blood, urine, milk, pus, and semen. The jars are arranged in a row and displayed on a shelf, like specimens in a laboratory. This piece immediately brings to mind the context of the body in a clinical setting. The work also points to Julia Kristeva’s theory of the abject, which is directly related to human death and mortality, as well as our innate repulsion towards thinking about it.
Julia Kristeva’s theory of the abject explores the concept of something that is neither an object nor a subject, but rather something that falls outside of these categories and disrupts their boundaries, and is thus, horrifying or repulsive to us. The abject refers to those aspects of the world that are deemed “unclean” or “unacceptable” by society, including bodily waste, decay (or reminders of it), death, and other forms of biological and cultural waste. The abject threatens to disrupt clean, orderly human categories by reminding us of our physical and biological limits, as well as our vulnerability to decay and death.
Kristeva argues that the abject is a fundamental aspect of the human experience, and that it is necessary to confront and integrate it in order to develop a sense of identity and social order. By confronting the abject, we can acknowledge our own limits and come to terms with the fact that our bodies are both the source of our pleasure and the site of our mortal decay. This, in turn, can lead to a greater appreciation of life and a deeper understanding of ourselves as human beings. Basically, Kristeva’s thoughts around the abject mirror research that has shown that confronting human mortality can lead to a happier life.
Kiki Smith, Untitled, Silver plated glass jars, 1986
The glass jars containing bodily fluids which make up Untitled directly confront the viewer with the abject aspects of the human body. In essence, when we think about bodily fluids and respond with disgust, horror, and a general sense of unwellness, that reaction is caused because those bodily processes remind us that our human bodies are constantly shedding, sloughing, changing, and ultimately decaying. This reminds us of our mortality, which is hard to think about. However, approaching these difficult topics in the context of a thought provoking artwork can be a more productive way to start important conversations about death and mortality.
Additionally, Untitled also references the scientific and medical practices of collecting and analyzing bodily fluids. The placement of the jars on a shelf also emphasizes the idea of the body as a specimen in a medical, clinical, or hospice context– spaces in which bodies frequently die. Thus the work is a commentary on the fragility and impermanence of the body through evoking the theory of abjection and death, as well as positioning the decaying human body in an environment in which death typically occurs. Contextualizing the body and our physical mortality in this way, and understanding the concepts behind our revulsion, helps us confront and deal with the reality of our eventual death.
3) Vanitas and Memento Mori
While Christian culture has historically used artworks as warnings to live without sinning, for the ancient Greeks, and many other cultures, artwork about death served as a reminder to savor life. By helping the viewer become aware of the fleeting nature of human existence, these kinds of artworks help us to appreciate being here, by confronting us with death’s inevitability. One genre of historical painting that was specifically about appreciating the ephemeral qualities of human life, and reminding viewers of each person’s impending death, was Vanitas paintings.
Pieter Claesz, Vanitas Still Life, 1625.
Vanitas were a popular genre of still-life painting that emerged in the 17th century in the Netherlands. They typically feature an arrangement of symbolic objects, such as skulls, hourglasses, extinguished candles, and decaying fruit, to remind viewers of the transience of life and the inevitability of death.
By contemplating the imagery and symbols in a Vanitas painting, viewers are encouraged to reflect on the fleeting nature of life and the futility of material possessions. The skull, for example, is a common symbol of mortality and serves as a reminder that death is an inevitable part of the human experience. The hourglass is a symbol of the passage of time and emphasizes the idea that life is finite and fleeting.
Philippe de Champaigne, Vanitas ou Allegory of human life, 1646
Vanitas paintings are also often referred to as a form of memento mori, a Latin phrase meaning “remember that you must die.” The purpose of memento mori is to remind people of their mortality and encourage them to live their lives with a sense of purpose and urgency. By confronting the reality of death, viewers of Vanitas paintings can gain a deeper appreciation for life and the time they have left.
Vanitas paintings help people think about death by providing a visual representation of the transience of life and the inevitability of death. They encourage viewers to contemplate the symbolism and reflect on their own mortality, which can lead to a deeper appreciation for life and a greater sense of urgency to make the most of the time they have.
4) Frida Kahlo Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird
Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird by Frida Kahlo is a powerful depiction of the artist’s physical and emotional pain. The painting shows Kahlo wearing a thorn necklace that pierces her skin, and a dead hummingbird hangs from the necklace. The painting is often interpreted as a representation of the pain and suffering that Kahlo experienced throughout her life, including her many health issues and the emotional pain caused by her tumultuous relationship with her husband, Diego Rivera.
Frida Kahlo, Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird, 1940.
In terms of confronting human mortality, this painting is a powerful reminder of the fragility of the human body and the inevitability of death. The thorn necklace that Kahlo wears is a symbol of the pain and suffering that we all experience in life, while the dead hummingbird serves as a reminder of our own mortality. The hummingbird, which is typically associated with beauty and vitality, is shown lifeless in the painting, emphasizing the idea that even the most vibrant and beautiful things in life must eventually come to an end. The juxtaposition of the dead hummingbird with the living animals and plants in the background further emphasizes the inevitable end that all living things must come to.
Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird is a deeply personal and emotionally charged work of art that confronts us with the reality of human mortality. By highlighting the pain and suffering that we all will experience in life, the painting can help viewers feel less alone in times of loss, grief, and emotional distress. In this work of art, Kahlo encourages us to confront our mortality and to find beauty and meaning in the midst of that pain.
5) “For the Love of God” by Damien Hirst
For the Love of God is a sculpture created by Damien Hirst that features a platinum cast of the skull of a 35 year old 18th century man, encrusted with over 8,000 diamonds. The work sold for $100 million in 2007, and clearly evokes conversations around art, money, and death.
Damian Hirst rose to fame in the art world when his works were discovered and promoted by famous art collector Charles Saatchi. In the art world, being recognized by Saatchi means rocketing to instant celebrity, basically overnight. Since then, Hurst has become a millionaire multiple times over, selling tongue-in-cheek artworks that often touch on ideas around celebrity, value, and death. His very existence within the art market raises questions about where and how value is created, and the relationship between celebrity, taste, and capitalism in the context of art.
Damien Hirst, For the Love of God, Platinum, diamonds. 2007.
For the Love of God specifically points to themes of decadence and opulence in the context of mortality. The existence of a bedazzled skull worth more money than most people in the world will ever see in their lifetimes recalls (and challenges) the old adage “you can’t take it with you.” Questions like “what is the value of a possession when someone is no longer alive to own it?” comes to mind.
This leads one to reflect on the manufactured opulence of the American funeral industry, and question the true value of caskets worth thousands of dollars, grand rooms of elite products for sale in funeral homes, and exactly who is placing value on those goods. Certainly many believe that funerals are for the ones left behind, and that fancy, expensive products that will eventually end up buried in the ground have a value. However, growing numbers of funeral consumers are interested in green burial options, lower cost services like cremation (cremation rates have only continued to grow steadily for the past 3 decades), and are opting out of expensive memorial services. As capitalism is called into question more and more by younger generations, it will be interesting to see the impact that these beliefs have on the funeral industry as we know it.
Ultimately, Damian Hirst’s artwork helps bring up interesting conversation points around death, capitalism, and the cost of dying. For the Love of God confronts audiences with questions about material value in the face of human ephemerality. These high level conceptual questions can also help us approach thinking about and understanding our own death with more curiosity.
Death Curious Art, Legacy and Memory
Another important way that art (including all of the artworks discussed here) connects us to exploring human mortality is its direct relationship to memory. At the end of the day, visual art is a document of someone’s human experience. The human urge to document and remember also relates to our instinctual fear of human ephemerality, both our own and that of those we love. Representing ourselves, our loved ones, our ideas, and our lived experiences in paintings, sculptures, and other works of art that will outlive our human selves is a powerful way to confront and deal with anxieties around our impermanence. This is yet another way that all works, regardless of subject matter, are at least peripheral to thinking about and understanding death.
The death curious history of visual art is extremely valuable to us, especially in our modern era of death avoidance. Seeing that humans throughout history have also been fascinated, confounded, terrified, and curious about our finite existence can help us feel connected to the rest of our species. Particularly effective works of art about death can help us do the important work of starting conversations about our mortality, understand it better, feel connected to others, and lead healthier lives for it.
