Page 4 - The Art of Macabre

the art
Death Loss Decay All words that that conjure images of taboo topics that that we as a a a a a a a a a a a a a society tend to to shy away from in in polite conversation However our our fascination with death goes far beyond the topical discomfort that it it it it elicits We find ourselves actually drawn to to it Historically our fascination with death has ranged from homage to to to phobic We’ve seen ancient cultures worship the transition from life to to to death death we see see celebrations of death death such as as Dia de de de los Muertos and even have gone so far as as to to capture it it for posterity Post-Mortem Photography Photography or or ‘Death Photography’ one of of the the most macabre and well known highlights in in in in the the the history of of death fascination became increasingly popular in in in in in the the mid 1800s in in in in in both Europe and America As sickness plagued families this form of photography known as Memento Mori started to to to gain worldwide attention With no no limit of the the acceptable age age range we see aged adults all the the the way down to to newborns being photographed sometimes even with other living subjects Though we see it it it as as as unsettling or or morose now many families saw it it as as as their last chance to preserve the the the image of a a a a a a a a a a a beloved family member At the the the the time being absolutely surrounded by death everywhere the the the use of of of photographs allowed the the viewer a a a a a a a a a a a sense of of of control towards death and also doubled as a a a a a a a a a token of of of posterity for those lost However not everyone avoids the the topic of of death death Certain cultures have long been iconic with their use of of death death in celebrations For example families on on on on on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island dig up their their mummified relatives every three years clean them them and and dress them them in in their their their favorite clothes to to to honor their their spirits Or in in Mexico with the the the the the the celebration of of Dia de de los Muertos- a a a a a a colorful night to to to to honor and and invite the the the the spirits of of deceased relatives to to to join them when the the the the veil between the the the the living and and dead is is is is thinnest The art
displayed during this celebration is is is is nothing short of incredible We hear the the term ‘Dia de de los Muertos’ and and immediately picture the the the death mask worn to to honor the the dead This celebration and and ceremony is is over
macabre 3000 years old and those well known masks allow for much artistic interpretation Participants can paint their mask with a a a a a a a a a a a certain loved one in in in in in mind or may choose to to depict the the the the parts of themselves they would most like to to to share with the the the the the world (both living and and dead) The topic of loss and and and death are are celebrated in in these communities through music art
food and and dance The topic avoided by so so many is embraced instead with vigor! So much so so that we now see an an an extreme emergence in in American culture of