This is a photography project I started in March, 2011. People come up with ideas of how they want to die and I help them simulate that scene and take a photo of it. Each photo is accompanied by a brief statement written by the participant explaining why he/she wants to die in this specific way and how he/she forms the idea.
If you happen to be around Claremont, CA and are interested in an epic dying experience, feel free to shoot me an email at mimijinjing@gmail.com :)
Jing
Tyler O. College student. Male. 19.
“I do not know when I will take my last breath, however, if I were to choose a way to end my life, death by overdoes would be on the top of my list. The mixed states of induced euphoria would literally be a once in a lifetime experience. Allowing my mind to occupy altered states of consciousness in my final moments would allow me to reach untapped regions of my brain, leading to a death preceded by a truly unparalleled experience.”
Gabriella H. College Student. Female. 19
“Whether my final moments consist of losing a battle over my own consciousness to one of my miniature clones or suffocating from liquid nitrogen, I want my death to be consistent with my life: enriched with passion, happiness and purpose. I hope to die with the knowledge that I have pushed the ‘boundaries’ of science and improved the human condition. ”
Nathan F. College Student. Male. 20
“For some morbid reason, I’ve convinced myself that I’m going to die young. It’s not that I want to die anytime soon, I just have a hard time picturing myself as an old man. If I am going to go before my body decides to quit on its own accord, I think I would like to be a martyr. I think to get shot standing up for something I strongly believe in would be pretty rad, at least as far as ‘ways to die’ go. At least my death would serve some greater purpose. I think I’d be pretty content in those twenty seconds between the gunshot and my departure if I knew I’d be a martyr.”
Quinn L. College Student. Male. 20
“As a self-confessed bibliophile one of the greatest joys in my life is entering a new library. I have visited many kinds of libraries, from small town public libraries to larger college libraries to small private collections. Ideally I would like to amass enough wealth in life to build my own perfect library, preferably gothic in nature and filled with texts both erudite and esoteric. In my old age, as I reach for some heavy tome, the edifice will give way to an avalanche of books, me the intrepid explorer of knowledge crushed underneath them. A life spent among texts will reach its perfection in its own tragic and ironic end. A story perfect for a book.”
Sam Y. College Student. Male. 22
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
- Robert Frost
“Like a moth to a flame I have always had an inexplicable obsession with fire. The pain will be excruciating at best, but like a witch on stake, at least I’ll go in style. Also, Johnny Cash.”
Faye W. College Student. Female. 20
DESCRIPTION COMING SOON
Andrew H. College Student. Male. 19
“I want to feel weightless in my final moments. In my everyday life, I feel utterly and completely heavy. Not necessarily in the sense of my body weight, but there’s an undeniable feeling of being held down - as if something is keeping me from moving freely. And so in my final moments I want to feel lighter and lighter, completely unburdened.”
Miranda F. College Student. Female. 19.
“I want to die still in good health, enjoying life throughout. This means not knowing I’m dying in advance, giving my loved ones and myself time to worry. Still though, I want a moment of resolution, of closure. I want to know I’m going to die in just enough time to kiss the one I love the most goodbye. Not enough time to worry about what’s going to happen after I go, not enough time to worry about what I’m going to say, not enough time to feel guilty about not having time to say goodbye to everyone. I just want to be in a beautiful place with the one I love most.”
