Samples of Alternative Death Symbols

2022

A funeral is a highly conventionalised ritual. The nature of the ceremony often does not correspond to the lifestyle of the deceased. We lack death styles that correlate with our lifestyles. One small step towards the individualisation of funeral rituals is this set of alternative symbols of death and mourning. The book contains a solid collection of them, some of which are accompanied by commentary from invited relatives and friends.

Participants: Emi Buchwald, Maciej Buchwald, Inga Cendrowicz, Mikołaj Chylak, Michał Drabik, Hubert Francuz, Sara Francuz, Anja Franczak, Małgorzata Gurowska, Maciej Januszewski, Piotr Kieżun, Andrzej Krauze, Gabriel Krauze, Radek Łukasiewicz, Hanna Mazurkiewicz, Jonasz Mazurkiewicz, Janek Owczarek, Jędrek Owsiński, Katarzyna Roj, Anna Siekierska, Agata Szydłowska, Paweł Sysiak, Maryna Tomaszewska, Konrad Trzeszczkowski, Łukasz Walendziuk, Jan Wiśniewski, and Jarek Ważny.

The book was recognised in the Most Beautiful Polish Books of 2022 competition organised by the Polish Association of Book Publishers.

Book cover with black background, white title, and red circle at the top

Close-up of the book fragment with red typography

Close-up of the book fragment with almost black background and darker element

Book spread with ghost symbol on the left and red text on the right

Book spread with half-white, half-black circle on the left and red text on the right

Book spread with empty room symbol on the left and red city photograph with light shining from one apartment

The book is an album of a single painting – Samples of Alternative Death Symbols for the Funeral Industry. It contains almost fifty black-and-white graphic signs of death and mouring. The book was published by Dar Dobryszyc in a limited edition of 200 signed copies. Two-colour offest printing, format 17 cm × 24 cm, 124 pages.

Painting titled “Samples of Alternative Death Symbols for the Funeral Industry” hanging on the wall

Samples of Alternative Death Symbols for the Funeral Industry, oil on canvas, 300 cm × 150 cm, 2021.

Three white and two black T-shirts with selected symbols hanging on the wall

The book was accompanied by a line of T-shirts featuring selected symbols. The photo session was conducted by Jonasz Mazurkiewcz.

Black graphic with white ‘Scythe’ typography

Man wearing T-shirt with hourglass symbol going down stairs

Black graphic with white ‘Hourglass’ typography

White graphic with black ‘Candle’ typography

Man wearing T-shirt with candle symbol standing in dark room

Photos by Jonasz Mazurkiewicz

The book launch took place on 31 October 2022 during the Szoła Umierania Extra [School of Dying Extra] festival at Komuna Warszawa in Warsaw. The event was organised as a conference entitled TEDeath, during which invited guests shared reflections on death and mourning through selected symbols.

Audience seated in front of the stage during the event

Author on stage with painting displayed in the background

Guest performing on stage with universe symbol visible in the background

Guest performing on stage with digital clock symbol set to 0:00 visible in the background

Guest performing on stage with symbol displayed in the background

Photos by Emi Buchwald and Michał Drabik

After the premiere, I presented Samples of Alternative Death Symbols at:

The Contemporary Art Gallery in Opole on 1 February 2024 during an author talk hosted by Marta Miś.
The State Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw on 9 April 2024 during a discussion entitled Ostatnie pożegnanie. Rozmowy o śmierci i ceremoniach pogrzebowych [The Last Farewell. Conversations about Death and Funeral Ceremonies].

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