Art Journal #2: Bone Play by Michael Sappol & Eva Åhrén

In Bone Play by Michael Sappol & Eva Åhrén, the main topic discussed was the basic idea of the dead, its bodies, and how overtime people have changed their views of respect for the dead. The article first introduces the idea of the dead through the historical use of anatomy with human bodies.
Sappol and Ahern start by saying how people at first respected the dead because of fear and religion. Then as anatomy was introduced in the mid-sixteenth century, though controversial as it was in that time period, it was the opening factor of how the dead would eventually be viewed today - in some way equally viewed as the living. The dissection of bodies in the medical profession became required and it wasn't so uncommon to use the deceased without worry of religious superstitions or respect for the dead. Sappol and Ahren said that their profession allowed them to 'play with the dead' through their practice of anatomy, and because the dead was initially to be feared and respected, students often had the impulse to 'dramatize and fool around' to avoid the thoughts that provoked disgust and remind them of the taboo of touching the dead. So to cope with working on cadavers, students covered it up with the act of 'playing' with the dead as if it were a joke. This act eventually became the norm in today's society starting with medical professions and later other people who came to wear skulls on their shirts, put it on their album cover, and etc. This respect for the dead, though not completely disappeared by religious means, has altered through the decades by people's actions and thoughts creating a new perception of the dead.

And so today, it is easy to point out the skulls that are printed on shirts and other common everyday objects. An great example of today's value of the dead would be the store, Torrid, which sells a gothic style clothing for females that often features dark clothing with skulls. It is not that they 'value' the dead but that they value its symbol and use it as a statement for their style - to be feared (perhaps), different, and unafraid for their bold use of skulls. Bikers also are often portrayed as dark, mean riders with skull tattoos and bandannas. This new perception of the dead is one I feel has become normal in today's society as if it being present make it acceptable to see death and that it's not something to be feared. I think that for the most part, to make the dead look like it is something not to feared is exactly the goal - to not fear the dead. By making it part of our lives with it printed on objects, it's a statement that we do not fear the dead but in theory, I think we really do. Like how Sappol and Ahren mentioned earlier about the medical students not being able to go through with dissecting cadavers was because it was originally taboo to touch the dead as well as nauseating to go through the procedure, the students made it seem like a game or a joke to play with the dead as if the body were nothing but a toy even going as far as taking pictures of the skeleton dressed up. It's no different in today's society in comparison to what the medical students did; to get over our fear, we make it normal to see skulls on consumer products. To see it on consumer products make it more of a decoration of accessory and it is no longer a reminder of our ultimate fate.