Why Not

Memento Mori


The concept behind "Memento Mori" fascinated me, for I have never really contemplated about death. To see Artists and Photographers establish and imply the idea of death being a definite thing, and our lives could end any minute was intriguing.

The reason behind the black and white was to express my view (after all the thought I gave) on death.  Death, as much as we want it to be a clear "black and white" thing, is often mostly gray.

The title of my work is "why not." I originally had a question mark making it a contemplation on why not to kill yourself. I wanted to portray a character who is contemplating about death. If there is suffering and sin on earth, and all we possess on earth has no meaning, then what is the point of being here? As a Christian, I believe I am going to heaven through the mercy of God. Heaven is said to be the most wonderful place. I rather go there than sit here through the darkness of the world being tempted by Satan and suffering through the pain... If I take my own life I will be able to go to such wonderful place and escape this world I am present in... I wanted to convey such contemplation. But in the end after much thought and discussion with my teacher, my eyes were opened to the aspect of "why not" to die. the reason not to take your own life. God has created us for a purpose. The realization of that, I think, is implied in the last photo. Yes there are hard times and sorrows in our current world, but nothing is to die for. there is much more meaning to live life for God, than to die to go to Heaven.

Ecclesiastes 1.
1	The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2	Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3	What profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun?
4	One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
5	The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
6	The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
7	All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full: unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
8	All things are full of labor; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9	The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
10	Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
11	There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

This is said to remind us that ultimately everything is God's. And all we own and achieve mean nothing unless stored in Heaven... We as people are not a vanity. God made us for a wonderful purpose and meaning.

The photos portray means to kill yourself, but ultimately she does not die, because of such realization.

P.S.
Please note that in no way, shape, or form am I promoting suicide or the thought of it.
God loves us very much and there is a reason for each and every one of us to be here and present on earth, and that is not to take our own lives.