ALEX MASCOLO

The image conjured of the funeral profession is that of a primarily male realm. However, across Scotland, it is in fact a large number of women who are proactively trying to change the way that we experience death, dying and bereavement.

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Intrigued by the possibilities that the Death Positivity Movement held and curious about what could be learnt from those that make death and dying their life’s work, my MScR in Interdisciplinary Creative Practice led to the development of Personalising Death. For my research, I conducted interviews between May and July 2019 with various individuals working within the funeral, non-profit, care and art professions in Scotland that sought to de-medicalise, re-humanise and normalise death, dying and bereavement. These alternative approaches, which were mainly employed by women, sought to bring death back into communities and under the control of individuals by offering the public information, guidance, and support. Although formal health and social care services continue to do amazing work they are chronically under supported, underfunded and under resourced. The work discussed in these interviews are separate yet complimentary to these sectors; re-empowering communities and individuals to take control and help each other and providing people with different choices to go about death in their own way.

 

This research culminated in a book and a panel discussion with three of the interviewees was organised for a public audience. The panel discussion, which was attended by around 50 people helped to create a space for discussion around death and dying to occur, enabling audience members to interact with experts, ask questions and contribute their own ideas on the topic. This event was a development of my art practice, making the work more interactive and expanding ways of knowing through audience participation.​

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