Memoria Symposium Update

The Memoria symposium – an open discussion among death-positive artists innovating in the sphere of memorial and memento mori ritual – has now been set and scheduled. Our panelists will include: Existential coach Daniel Lev Shkolnik Burning Man co-founder Harley Dubois Way of Life and Death director/teacher Tony Wolf All Souls Procession artistic director Nadia … Read moreMemoria Symposium Update

“Annihilation and the Meaningfulness of Life Beyond Death”

Philosophical perspective courtesy of Floris Tomasini: The notion that death should be “nothing to us”, as Epicurus puts it, is difficult to reconcile with desires that give meaning to our lives beyond our sense of self-satisfaction. That the meaningfulness of life extends beyond death is testified by our transcendent interests or desires. Or, as Belliotti … Read more“Annihilation and the Meaningfulness of Life Beyond Death”

The Death Issue

In the Death Issue of The Nib Magazine, two dozen artists from around the world offer their perspectives on mortality, from a heartfelt and poignant memoir of infant loss to an exploration of the cultural relationship between Halloween and Dia de los Muertos. Here’s a generous assortment of excerpts and below are some sample panels … Read moreThe Death Issue

“The Art of Ritual: Changing Ways of Life and Death” November 2021

I’m pleased to announce the second rendition of the Art of Ritual course, a five-week Zoom-based learning experience hosted by the Morbid Academy. The first rendition sold out quickly and we’ve extended the class-time for course two, running 2 hours rather than 1.5 per class. Here’s some participant feedback from the first course: I loved … Read more“The Art of Ritual: Changing Ways of Life and Death” November 2021

Controversy as San Francisco Bank of America Branch Attempts to Discourage Longstanding LGBTQ Memorial Practice

“This has been a tradition for many decades, a place where we came together to mark the passing of people who mattered to us. It’s where we remembers the victims of the Pulse massacre. It was a place to remember everyone, from our favorite bartenders to the most famous celebrities among us. For anyone to … Read moreControversy as San Francisco Bank of America Branch Attempts to Discourage Longstanding LGBTQ Memorial Practice

Autumnal Equinox Vanitas Shrine 2021

During the Autumnal Equinox period I replaced the skull’s floral caplet with a wreath of fallen oak leaves. Most of them were left over from last year and I added a few new leaves gathered during recent walks. Another “new” item is the bowl of dried flower petals, mostly gathered from fallen flowers found over … Read moreAutumnal Equinox Vanitas Shrine 2021