Mini Caskets
On February 18, I held my first DIY casket workshop session. Participants had 30 minutes to decorate their own miniature caskets. I lasercut recycled cardboard and constructed the caskets using a 3D template I designed.
Pop-up Event
On February 28, I held a pop-up workshop in the NYU Kimmel Center for University Life lobby. Participants could decorate a coloring sheet of either a headstone or an urn.
Collection of color sheets featuring headstone and urn designs
Additional Workshops
I held two additional workshops on March 7th and March 28th. Combining elements from both sessions, participants colored their own urns or headstones using markers, crayons, clip art, glitter, and other craft materials.
Further Explorations
Throughout my ideation process, I considered many vehicles to deliver my message, including: a "death spa" where participants are lead through guided meditation sessions; an exploratory installation that invites participants to answer the question "Where will you be when death calls?" (kudos to Merilynne Rush, Lifespan Doulas Association); and, inviting participants to physically create and lay in their own custom deathbed. Other sketches on this page illustrate an AR pin to identify bereaved individuals and share digital memorial pages, and sketches for travel-sized or connectable urns.
“My Good Death” Pinterest Board
As an exercise to contemplate my own death, I created a Pinterest board for my dream funeral. I included inspiration for my funeral dress, suggestions for music, information on how to achieve both organ donation and home funerals, and selected readings. This was surprisingly challenging; I came to the realization that I might not be able to have everything I want, and that being a registered organ and tissue donor might impact or limit my options for funeral proceedings.
Exhibit Space
I envision a gallery space with art, objects, and interactive media to explore. I plan to display objects that have associations with death or the funeral industry throughout history, which might include mourning jewelry (Victorian as well as modern-day designs), urns and burial vessels, devotional candles, death masks, death photography, as well as personal objects that have aided me through my grieving experiences. I am also considering inviting other artists to exhibit their relevant work. I would also love to feature the important work of the end-of-life doulas in the installation, perhaps by displaying video or audio interviews. The exhibit could then be mobilized to be shared in other communities outside of New York City.
Mock-up of physical installation