You are not you forever

Subject Object project. First we were briefed to draw a summary of a news item everyday for a month. I liked that- for a month I knew quite well what was going on and I could remember details better because I'd drawn them. So I think I'll continue that.
I liked drawing on transparent paper during the reportage project- so now I drew on tracing paper. I thought I'd try to photocopy them all together, and it works well! I want to use this that in another project.

 Then we had to choose one story, and make a relic or poster illustrating it. My news story was Nelson Mandela's funeral. I drew in the British museum- they have so many objects that were made for the afterlife, or for catching the soul. It was fascinating.

 It was curious, this split between materials, things, objects and the very unsubstantial stuff of spirits or soul. So I chose to make an object, a memento mori necklace to touch and remember or think about what we will become. I found that to Christians memento mori seemed to show life is not so important because there is an afterlife. I don't believe in an afterlife- not in that way. My memento mori is a sort of celebration- remember you are not you forever, so live!!
So my object shows that Mandela's atoms will spread out, he will be undone. Some will go into the aloe plants (specifically the Ikhala aloe, which is the symbol of the region Mandela was born and buried in) that are growing in the garden above his burial place, then into the birds that eat the plants etc...

I used candle wax. You can also read the spread of Mandela's ideas to the world.