Most of us are scared of death. I imagine some of you reading this application are scared too. We don’t even want to say the word out loud. People will use the language “passed away” or “gone too soon,” then change the subject immediately. It’s like death is this awkward friend we all ghosted but still check up on from across the room.

I have a project that I want to introduce that I believe supports folks with this fear. Death Gives Love Meaning is my way of turning toward that fear. It is an exhibition about reverence for death; it centers the beauty of death (if you can imagine that) and the deep love that surrounds it when we’re allowed to be in charge of our own endings.

At the center is Joshua Tree, which is a short film following two lovers who discover what love really means as they approach death. Around the film are large photographs, altar pieces, and a soft sound bath that feels like an exhale, really. There’s also a Death Literacy Portal, that is more of a hands-on corner with fabrics, altar glass, and little zines that make it easier to talk about dying without the room getting all weird.

The vision is part art show, part ritual, part experiment in courage. I want people to leave a little lighter and maybe less afraid. Maybe even thinking that death is not their enemy, but a reminder to live more intentionally.

The project is tender and a little awkward. It’s real. And in its own way. And I think its awesome.