Memory, Ritual, and the Body in Death

As I continue to work on my book, I have scheduled an interview with an owner/operator of a funeral parlor and crematorium. I am currently preparing a list of questions regarding the different aspects of the process. I am planning to speak with a local church about their funeral rituals and will attempt to document a funeral. I have also emailed the NYC Department of Corrections in order to gain access to Hart Island. I have yet to hear back from them and plan to see if there is a better person to contact. I am continuing to search for other potential sites if I am unable to visit the island in a timely manner. As for developing a performative technique, I have found myself mired in my examinations of industrial typologies and scaffolding. Therefore, I have begun to look at my program and potential site to help drive my process. For my current drawing, I am looking at a cemetery and documenting it through the layering of information. This will eventually tie in with my planned funeral documentations.