Summary: Photographer Catherine Ertmann put together a project that shows what death is really like up close. The purpose was to give people a more realistic understanding about death. The director of the work, Michael Petersen says, "...it's just as natural as being born." Catherine wanted people who saw her collection to view death not as a sorrowful and sad idea, but as a natural thing. A part of reality. She had certain fears when it came to examining some dead bodies up close, but she forced herself to move closer anyway because she felt that in order for the experience not to be dramatic she would need to study it for a longer period of time. She developed a different viewpoint during this project. She wanted people to look at or think about death and accept it as a natural part of life. She says, "You have a life, folks. Go out and live it!"
Analysis: Before I read this article, I felt like the thought of death was scary and that everything was going to have an end. When I read "...it's just as natural as being born", I pondered it a little more and figured that just because we die doesn't mean that our story has to come to an end. I thought of it more as a new chapter. I think that the influence upon the audience was pretty positive and it drives them to think more about their perspective on death. I think it is essential that people at least try to view death in a different way because it probably lowers the percentage of depression and stress once a family member or someone close dies. People might be able to accept death as another stage of life that it is. It is also important for our lives today because we will actually start putting effort into life goals and challenges. We can take risks and try new things because we will have thought about death coming so soon and want to have lived the best life we could have lived.
Link Here
This seems like a very interesting article. And i agree that viewing death differently can definitely help those who have recently lost someone close to them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the article and you about having fears and a really depressed outlook towards death sometimes, but I also agree that people, including me, need to get past the negatives about death and see it as being as natural as breathing, or walking because eventually everyone will experience the inevitable.
ReplyDeleteThough I have never feared death (only the pain that may or not come with it), I understand your fear. And I agree with you, it is a new chapter. The memory of a person will almost always outlive their life span, and in death, one touches many more people, and closer than before.
ReplyDeleteDeath is just a natural part of life. That is a great outlook to have when someone dies. I think everyone could use that kind of positivity in their lives.
ReplyDelete