Art of Death: February 2008 Archives

Knight, Death and the Devil (1513)
Duerer, Albrecht: “Engravings on metal by Albrecht Duerer”

This is one of three engravings in a series called Meisterstiche. The others are Melancholia I and Saint Jerome in His Study.The engraving is dated 1513, two hundred years after the dissolution of the Knights Templar in 1313.


The S before the date may be an allusion to the Greek sigma, of numeric value 200, but others say it is Samekh, one of the 22 paths on the Qabbalistic tree of life. Seems to me that a lot of engravings are signed S. for Scuplt., after the Latin for engraving, and that’s a lot simpler of an explanation.

We see a skull in the bottom left corner; the night in full armour (shining armor?) carries a lance; behind him is a pig-snouted horned devil and he is passing Death on his pale horse, who is carrying an hourglass. Under the knight’s horse runs a long-haired retriever, a hunting dog.

Dürer called this picture Reuter, which is, Rider.

No this isn't the cover of Slayer's latest. It's postcards from a recent trip to Rome. All from the Crypt of the Capuchin Monks.

We think it's safe to say these were "outsider" monks. Although their materials suggest (through tone) that decorating your holy place with bones is just kind of what everyone did before Ikea. If only they could have come across some Trappist monks...

Though I must admit, that bone clock (extended) has a certain charm to it.

More after the jump. Enjoy!

What does growing older look like?

A video from New York artist Jonathan Keller gives you a glimpse. Every day for more than eight years he has taken a photo of himself. The result is a striking time-lapse video depicting a man in his 20s turning into a man in his 30s.

You may want to consider turning the sound down before you play unless you have a thing for Aphex Twin done poorly.

We would be amiss if we did not acknowledge Damien Hirst and his ongoing exploration
of death and it's relation to things, beautifully weird things.

See below his platinum, diamond-covered skull. The most expensive piece of
contemporary art ever made at £50 million pounds—that went on to be sold for a
meager £100 million pounds.

Damien, listen man, if you're reading this, we should talk. We've got some ideas for what
you could do with that money, plus, you owe us for the pizza and the R.Kelly tickets.

Read more about his most recent exhibition at the White Cube in London, exploring the fundamental themes of human existence – life, death, truth, love, immortality and art itself here:

http://www.whitecube.com/exhibitions/beyond_belief/my_v/

Dylan Thomas

He wrote some heavy shit on death.
His work reminds us to live our lives with urgency.
He died at 39 from drinking too much, too often, so
his life tells us something else.

Read or listen to a poem of his below.

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DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT
      
        Do not go gentle into that good night,
        Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
        Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
        Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
        Because their words had forked no lightning they
        Do not go gentle into that good night.

        Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
        Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
        Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
        Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
        And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
        Do not go gentle into that good night.

        Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
        Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
        Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
        And you, my father, there on the sad height,
        Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
        Do not go gentle into that good night.
        Rage, rage against the dying of the light.