Siena Lemmens

“Taking inspiration from their year’s theme ‘Let’s Celebrate’, I chosen to take inspiration from death and rebirth.

In a lot of religions and cultures including my own, death is seen as a celebration of life. Because of this project, I’ve taken interest into learning more about the culture that makes up one quarter of myself which is Dutch. In the Netherlands, funerals are widely acknowledged as celebrations of life, with crematoriums and cemeteries being welcoming for family and the community to come together. The architecture and design of the facilities reflect this belief so that people are able to meet in a warm and a more informal environment to remember the deceased.

Sustainable alternatives for burials are available for those who are buried in the Netherlands. One of these was designed by a Dutch start-up company and is known as a ‘living coffin’. These coffins are made from materials that biodegrade easily. This method of burial decreases the natural breakdown time to only three years. This helps integrate the body back into the environment and soil.

Passing can represent a passage from this life to the next. Reincarnation and becoming part of the earth again and continuing the natural cycle of life.

To me, there is resemblance between the cycles of humans and plants where at the end of both cycles, they are able to grow into new life.

I was able to derive my concept from the Calla Lily which is known as a symbol of passing. Being able to make the connection between human and plant cycles, I chose to do a flower whose colour evokes feelings of happiness, positivity and optimism, which is yellow. This typing back to the theme ‘Let’s Celebrate’.

Finding beauty in death. Loved ones don’t really leave us, they’re around us in different forms. Embracing death.”

Resene Whitecliffe Colour of Fashion clothing - 2023

Photography by Jonathan Kraettli

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