Contextual reference/inspiration - Rankin 'alive in the face of death'

'Alive: In The Face of Death', photographer Rankin sets out to explore and challenge our perceptions of death.he photographed those who have been touched by death, sharing their individual stories.
They include people living with a terminal illness, those who have faced death and survived, and those who work within the death industry.

Barber - by Rankin

Sandra is a 48-year-old mother from Switzerland. She was diagnosed with breast cancer eight years ago and at the time was given one year to live by doctors. The cancer has spread and she is now having chemotherapy for a brain tumour. Although Sandra’s cancer is terminal she is determined to fight on. In Rankin’s image of her, Sandra feels she is displaying her ‘inner warrior’ as she battles her condition.

“Having cancer has made me more aware of how we are here for a very short time and how we should aim to live in the moment. When the time comes, I will embrace death and accept it with grace.”

Rankin’s own response to the subject is reflected in a series of self-portraits and in his ‘life masks'. These include images of living stars such as Jarvis Cocker, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Joanna Lumley along with those who have passed away such as Marlon Brando and Peter Cushing.

In these powerful works, Rankin encourages the sitters to examine their own experiences and feelings about death. The resulting images capture their determination, optimism and sheer zest for life.

Louise 

is a 42-year-old charity worker from Edinburgh. When she was told that her bone cancer had returned and was no longer treatable, she started writing an online blog to share her story with others. She hopes that if even one person can draw support, comfort or strength from it then some good will have come of her illness.

Her inspirational blog is now being followed by people all over the world. 

"It’s funny this word “terminal” as it makes me think of airports. Yet now terminal has a whole new meaning for me. And in a way, whichever definition you go with, I guess it’s the same in the end. You’re going somewhere new and different."

Louise Page died on Sunday 19 May 2013 surrounded by her loving family. This was three days after Lou had attended the launch of this exhibition.


This project by Rankin has really inspired me and is exactly the type of personal connection i want to achieve within my project. Louise's response to her illness is similar to how Adam, using it to help encourage and bring awareness to their own experiences with blogs etc. 

from discussion with friends, we talked about  how though it shouldn't be this way, its not natural to appreciate your life until something traumatic happens to you, a reaction or change of attitude wont happen. however when reading and looking at this project by Rankin, it made us think about how lucky we actually are - something i want my work about Adam to do when people look at it.