On The Left, Just Before Death... On The Right, Death:
Life Before Death is a collection of images by Walter Schels, who photographed each of his terminally ill subjects shortly before and after they’d passed away.
Far from being grotesque, the 72-year-old German artist has crafted a moving study of how ‘the inevitable’ affects us all.
The living portraits show the volunteers’ sparkling eyes, faint smiles and awareness of the camera before them.
These are followed by the haunting, lifeless faces of the dead, who are finally at rest.
They look quite peaceful in death. I don't find this too controversial but I guess others aren't fond of staring death in the eye. It sure beats the self abortion show at Yale. Your thoughts?
7 comments:
I actually think it's quite beautiful. By the way--- I just bookmarked the site. You always have interesting stuff. Thanks to whoever is doing the work!
Rev, thanks! I hope you stick around.
I agree No controversy here. It's very tasteful.
I had my spouse pass while I sat next to him...he too became so peaceful at death that it was a comfort to me.
Keep up the good work.
Quite tasteful, considering what passes for art these days. Rest in Peace.
Yes I find just the images here to be very moving. Maybe its partly about showing dignity in death, I don't know but it does make me think about the inevitebility of death.
I ahve to admit that they did make me feel sad, I don't know why exactly, other than when you look at the live picture, you see a person and think that they had a life that they lived and they had family, and hopes and dreams, and then when you look at the dead picture, you see the absolute end of their awareness of the world, and also somewhere their loved ones are sad.
Of course, when I start to think of all the people that die every day, especially horrible deaths, not just here but also in places like Iraq, Darfur, or anywhere, its really sobering.
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