| Abstract | For centuries, religious authorities and social pressures have discouraged individuals from contemplating mortality. A key component to the human sense of self is the ability to acknowledge the finite nature of life. Some experience Thanatophobia, the fear of dying, more strongly than others. All people experience death anxiety though, whether conscious of it or not. If managed in a healthy manner, death anxiety can serve as a motivating force to live a fuller life and deepen relationships with family and friends. To recognize hidden components of death anxiety and find consolation for the inevitability of dying, we can acknowledge our own mortality and explore both secular and spiritual approaches to death. For this thesis, I use painting as a visual medium to deliver my ideas and research in an immersive experience to the viewer. For this project, I conduct research by reading books and poetry, taking photographs, and viewing other artists' work, online and in person visiting New York City museums and galleries. I have produced ten paintings of various size and technique to communicate my ideas to the viewer, including how science and medicine, faith, meditation, and relationships alleviate death anxiety. Ultimately, I have found that painting has helped me develop coping mechanisms to lessen my own death anxiety. I hope that by viewing my art, people will feel encouraged to consider aspects of their own mortality and thus motivated to discover more fulfilling lives. |
