Reviews

Bristol Museum - Death, The Human Experience

Posted on: 2016-02-17

I found it amazing to be honest. As I walked in I was given some headphones and as I walked around each section I listened to a more in depth commentary on everything I saw before me. There was a lot of symbolism in there.

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Death is one of those taboo subjects; despite the fact we will all die (except maybe Chuck Norris) it's something that is seen only in one light (a bad one). Death: The Human Experience exhibition at the Bristol Museum questions this and doesn't really leave a stone unturned. I decided to pop in for a bit and see what the score was. I think about death now and then but thought surely it would be a bit too heavy though for 1 in the afternoon? I had been moaning about something as pathetic as a bit of rain an hour earlier so maybe I needed some perspective on life? I got the perspective I was looking for, and then some...

I found it amazing to be honest. As I walked in I was given some headphones and as I walked around each section I listened to a more in depth commentary on everything I saw before me. There was a lot of symbolism in there; jackals, vultures, the awesome handmade hourglass and a really cool bat skeleton - it goes through how other cultures see and treat death (some see it as a celebration) and how the more developed world treats death. The links we make to Death visually (like the aforementioned Vultures) and as you go through it does get darker, it examines suicide and murder among other things, it's an analysis of the way in which we can meet our 'maker' but also it steps back and highlights how we view this when other people meet their demise. Being greeted by a Mark Twain quote at the end of the first corridor was great (see photo), projected onto the wall, unavoidable, much like Death.

One of the cool things about this was that parents were walking around the exhibition with their kids in tow, and, teaching the kids about death. This isn't a bad thing in my opinion; I think to highlight to kids, and even to adults like myself, to reinforce that we will die one day is a very powerful thing. I immediately felt inspired and asked myself was I doing everything I could be to make my life one I will look back on with fond memories, we could all do more, but that's being human, the exhibition highlighted the chaos within the order for me, it was very light and dark, it highlights strength and vulnerability.

There was a point where I had to fight back tears as some of the stuff in there brought back memories of my own experiences with death, family members or people close to me that have died, but then I felt elated at certain points because it motivated me to want to push on for what I need to achieve in life while honouring the memories of the fallen. Again, as I keep reinforcing, it's the whole Light/Dark theme of the exhibition. I got the impression it was there to educate but also motivate. I could have avoided the section on murder and suicide, but I hunt my own shadows and fears down, so I went in and got uncomfortable learning about how ancient cultures would look upon suicide, and how it is still very much stigma in the modern age and western world.

Near the end there was a section where you were invited to write a note and leave it for other people to see. It was brilliant to see people's different takes on death and how they view life. 

In summary; I am really glad to have gone to this, poignant statements aside, and me trying to sound philosophical, I thought this was amazing. All they ask of you is to pay what you think the admission is worth; it's worth a lot more than the £3 In change I got from my wallet. You should go and check it out as soon as possible. It runs until 13th March.

5/5

Reviewed by Nick Clay, of Clay Fitness, for 365Bristol.com - The website where local information matters

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