I’ve been wondering, does anybody still want to live forever?
Found guarding the Pharaoh’s body was a shrine to Anubis, the jackal deity of the afterlife. In ancient Egyptian religion, Anubis determined whether souls should be allowed to pass on into the next realm.
Morbid as this may seem but as we now move on from the pandemic, I see my latest work as more of a reflection towards the wonder of life and existence. To focus on mortality is to appreciate life itself and to see things as they really are. Today is not promised to us - how lucky and fortunate we are to be alive.
Whilst this realisation grows on me, I can’t help wonder what the ‘afterlife’ will come to mean in the future. How will our perception of this change as we evolve? We are already living enhanced lives thanks to science and medicine and have harnessed technology to allow us to extend our lifespans. Most ancient Egyptians were unlikely to live beyond 40 years of age and, for example, King Tutankhamen died at the age of 18. This can be compared to today’s life expectancy of 83 (female) and 79 (male).
The question that remains on my mind is; in developing technology to allow us to extend life, have we created the life that we want to extend?
For me, this piece is a reminder of our mortality in order to encourage the creation of good in today’s world.
Anubis, by Arran Gregory, 2022. 103 x 60 x 30cm, Recycled PetG, acrylic mirror tile. Ed /14 (+1artist proof) @arrangregory
