DEATH x DESIGN x CULTURE: Falmouth hosts conference exploring design’s role in death

“Originally we set out to explore how communication designers can contribute to end-of-life studies” says Nikki. “We were curious and saw opportunities for designers to aesthetically understand and engage with this topic.”  

Ashley added “Several years ago, we held a symposium called In the Face of Death, a collaborative project with Augsburg University. The culmination of that project was a symposium event at Falmouth which we saw as a great opportunity to bring more speakers together and expand the conversation. We've been proud to put this event together.”  

The event featured talks from creator of the ‘Euthanasia Coaster’ Julijonas Urbonas and expert on Old Age Rational Suicide (OARS) Naomi Richardson as well as a workshop focussing on provocative designs for end-of-life reflection by the University of Michigan’s Bruce Tharp. PhD student Ian Walden also exhibited a walk-in corner shop named ‘Mortem Stores’ to generate conversations around OARS, a project that he’d spent months creating from scratch. 

Nikki says, “there’s often a misconception that people involved in events around death are gloomy or morbid. By talking about death openly, it becomes something universal that we can all relate to. Death is a universal subject that affects everyone. At this conference, we’re meeting strangers and talking about life stories, which is actually life-affirming. The week has been full of joy, laughter, and wisdom. People who think about death are often the ones who appreciate life the most, making every moment precious. There's a value in this awareness that's enormously important for those who study and work in this field.” 

Find out more about the MOTH research project

Find out more about Falmouth's School of Communication