Exhibition explores the last taboo: death

doi:10.1136/bmj.39546.424097.4E

BMJ 2008;336:796 (12 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.39546.424097.4E

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Exhibition explores the last taboo: death

Zosia Kmietowicz

¹ London

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"Modern society has succeeded in making death all but invisible,"notes Ken Arnold, head of public programmes at the WellcomeTrust in London. But a new exhibition at the trust’s formerheadquarters in Euston Road aims to change that, at least fora while.

The photographic exhibition is the work of the German photographerWalter Schels and the journalist Beate Lakotta. The pair spenta year in hospices in Germany accompanying Maria Hai-Anh TuyetCao, who died in 2004 aged 52, and 23 other people during theirlast weeks and days. The exhibition, entitled Life Before Death,showcases huge black and white portraits, and the testimoniesthat run alongside them provide an intimate exploration of thethoughts of dying people.