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Published in Volume 4, Issue 3 - 23. August 2017

Between the Lines: The Language and Art of Death

Stephanie H. Lim, Jeremiah de Leon

Affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centre

Keywords: visual arts; death; metaphor

Categories: Medicine

DOI: 10.17160/josha.4.3.311

Languages: English

This short paper reflects on the attitudes that modern society has towards death, which affect and form the language that we use to describe death. The key domains of concern to the dying are described, as well as the patterns of social interactions. It explores how the visual arts can offer an alternate and cathartic form of communication of death, as shown by the patient experience with cancer. Ultimately, it encourages us to view medicine as an art, and also art as medicine.

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