July 10, 2004

The Underbunny: The photo art of a talent who just happens to work in a Seattle mortuary. Many of her photos would be compelling, even if they didn't show you a part of life/death few of us get to glimpse. (Via waxy.org)
posted by mecurious 20 years ago
  • I see dead people.
  • very six feet under
  • nostril beat me to it. bloody wanker!
  • Those are compelling. The 102-year-old woman's hands especially got me.
  • Nifty photos. But if I were Haydon I'd be a tad worried to be in with this first lot. Her first interest is embalming? I'm thinking she's either fairly new at the job, or just a tad ... off?
  • ...a tad off, I should think. ;) ...I've been at this awhile, actually. I enjoy embalming, it -is- my first interest. I find satisfaction in transforming a person that looks like they're straight out of a horror film into someone that looks like they're having a nice dream. ...those who love them are grateful for it, too-- does that makes a little more sense? ...I do wonder if I'd creep HaydEn out, though. :) ...thanks to everyone that said nice things!
  • Nice to hear from you, underbunny. Feel free to stick around. :)
  • Hmmmm, Underbunny, when you put it that way, it makes sense. Especially from the POV of the "loved ones" (creepy term.) Why don't we call THEM the "remains?" After all, they're the ones that get to stay. (Left-overs?) Sorry, I can't agree with the idea that the embalmed look like they're having a nice dream. My aunties used to say, "Oh, don't they look natural!". No, to me they look DEAD. I can see that someone who wants an open coffin service would want to have the best possible last memory, and any-body that didn't "die peacefully" wouldn't be it. When my husband's grandmother died several years ago, (keeled over one night--general old age) I was one of the women that went to the funeral home and helped to dress her and do her hair. It's a tradition in that family that the women do this for each other. (Don't ask me where that came from.) But since only one of four of her granddaughters had the intestinal fortitude to go with their mother, I figured I'd do it to support her, and because GramMa Cristie was a pretty neat ol' gal. I actually found it a very moving experience. It didn't bother me to touch her or help clothe her, and it did help me to deal, not only with her death, but with the memories of the deaths of my grandparents and parents. They all died when I was young, and I had been shunted out of the proceedings because of my age. I guess you'd call it "closure" (ghastly word.) Anyway, that didn't bother me, but the idea of dead strangers does. Go figger. Kudos to you for doing a job most folks don't want. You deserve our respect and gratitude. If we ever get to a Mofi meetup, I'd love to see more of your pictures and talk to you about your experiences. (Just don't bring anything in a jar to show-and-tell, ok?)