Multimedia artist Phil Hansen is known for his use of various media in his unique art projects. He’s used everything from broken records to bacon to create art unlike any other. In his latest project, Phil draws a connection between nature and death using an unlikely medium — twigs and branches.
Watch how the project came to life:
The Motivation
For his “Earth Post Mortem” project, Phil was inspired by Victorian death photos. In 19th century Britain, it was a common practice for families to pose for pictures with their deceased loved ones as a way to remember them. However, the deceased in these photographs were not kept in a coffin. Instead, they were posed right alongside their family, either sitting up or laying down.
The Connection
In his blog, Phil notes that many people today are shocked when they learn about this practice because, it is something they’ve never heard of and probably wouldn’t do themselves. However, it isn’t necessarily a far-fetched concept. Today, many people take vacations and pose with dying reefs and other natural wonders that are on the verge of disappearing. Upon his realization, Phil wondered what the general consensus would be in future years.
“I wondered if 100 years from now, people might look at us posing with dying and dead natural wonders and think of us as strange. Same as many of us view the idea of posing with the deceased,” Phil wrote.
The Result
The finished product resulted in replicas of Victorian death photos made from sticks placed on a canvas. In the end, Phil chose to sweep away his creations with a broom, seeing it as fit for the subject matter of this series.
Why Book Keynote Speaker Phil Hansen?
Phil Hansen doubles as a multimedia artist and keynote speaker who encourages attendees to embrace the shake and turn their limitations into opportunities. He is known for incorporating art into his keynote presentations through a collaborative art project that attendees can participate in (as an add-on to the keynote). For more on Phil’s fees and availability, give us a call at 1.800.345.5607.
