Dead wrong or creativity

Artists are often inspired by the most unusual objects and ideas but some inspirations border on the plane morbid and wrong. A project from Eindhoven's Design Academy in the Netherlands takes inspiration from funerals and ways of remembering the dead. Some of the exhibits like Bleeding 'till Death, borrow ideas from ancient cultures who's loved ones erect living memorials to the dead. The piece features flowers arranged like bed-ridden patients and attached to transfusion pouches filled with dye. Another piece consists of seeds for every person who has died in war, to be planted in their memory.

Then their is the truly obsurd, Merel Vantellingen turns ashes into pencils, and then prints the name of the deceased or an inspirational message on them, alluding to the idea of messages being written from beyond the grave. Vantellingen even envisions the pencil being used as part of a spinning top, that leaves mysterious messages after it starts spinning.

This is similar to a story I heard last year about a company called LifeGem who offers clients the opportunity to take their deceased loved one's ashes and have them pressed into a "memorial diamond" which can be turned into a piece of jewelry.

I couldn't fathom using a pencil made from a deceased loved one or wearing a diamond made from them. Call me wacky, put I think a picture is suffice or a tattoo if you wish something permanent. I dunno, to each their own.

Later,
Kenaz