MEMENTO MORI

Why do I photograph dead or dying flowers?

Put simply I don’t believe in death and such moments allow me to witness and experience the change, calmness and progress of a journey into an unknown. There is a purpose and energy beyond what we recognise as living that I wish to respond to and celebrate.

Flowers are generally regarded as being ‘pretty’ and of value for a relatively short time and soon become trash or waste thereafter. Many celebrate the cherry tree blossom in full bloom while other’s grow disappointed when its flowers last only a few weeks, having waited so long to witness such splendour. Many celebrate not the bloom but the fragility and impermanence so splendid, with anticipation and longing to look forward to; enjoying the moment ultimately knowing it will pass but never disappear.

In nature everything that begins a journey of decay immediately begins a change and new form, to feed something other. A constant amount of atoms exist to simply rotate and develop some new purpose, even for a short time. Artists seem intrinsically drawn to decay, fascinated by a stage when ‘pretty’ is past and transition becomes more apparent …a time yet to come, a period that raises so many questions.

This is a reminder of the immediacy and fragility, a short-lived period documented knowing ultimately all things change and that death is not the end and yet it is inevitable.

These images were made with my phone camera.

This body of work is dedicated to the life and work of Sir Angus Grossart.