Remember That You Will DieDeath Across Cultures

In both the Christian European and Tibetan Buddhist artistic traditions, graphic images of death and the afterlife are used as reminders that life is fleeting and that we must act virtuously. Death knows no social barriers—rich or poor, powerful or meek—and all must inevitably face judgment for their deeds on earth. Remember That You Will Die: Death Across Cultures presents eerily beautiful, and at times frightening, images from both traditions in the form of paintings, sculptures, quotidian objects, and ritual items made from human remains. These provocative works of art are meant to startle viewers out of apathy, urge them to contemplate their mortality, and inspire them to use their short time on earth to secure a desirable place in the afterlife.