I have been away exploring North India for a while and returned full of images that stuff my much belaboured brain. Much time is taken up at present in construction of the Punch and Judy project which is nearing completion of the construction but requires a lot of learning lines and puppetry techniques. Sooner or later I shall have to post a video, meanwhile, here is my latest image from the Death series.
This image explores the time of transition, the movement from life into death; a process feared by many. Awareness of the fact that our time on earth will be short is forced upon the mind when becoming aware of impending death. In this situation it is essential to plan, to think ahead, in order to fashion the best life possible out of time remaining.
The index X-ray in this picture was from a lady with a large collection of fluid in her right pleural space (the space around the lung inside the thorax) caused by advanced mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is usually due to exposure with asbestos dust. This lady did not respond to treatment and the underlying lung collapsed. There was also invasion into the lung, ribs, the right chest wall, and breast. The prognosis for a new diagnosis of mesothelioma is typically about 18 months though cases can live longer, but advanced cases such as this have a much shorter life expectancy.
Component parts of the image include a human skull decorated in a primitive society which matches the theme of death in this series. The strong patterns including the spiral on the right arise from a brass plaque in an Indian temple to the worship of Kali the originator and devourer of all things. In the end it is time (Sanskrit; Kala काल) that both originates and devours all things.
Chest 111; Time
Xraypics 