Dolls Used in "Memorial Photography": interesting concept, or too much?

I think that would be really interesting. But I wouldn't ever do it for myself... plus, I don't know how you could properly get the effect of 'this is a dead doll, not a sleeping doll.'

 

Sounds very Victorian. If you do the props and costuming well they could be quite nice and tasteful. You might also consider doing another Victorian concept in your photos, it was a popular past time of the Victorians to have picnics in cemeteries amidst the graves of loved ones. It was a way to remember them and include them as part of the family. Some very nice pictures could be done with this as well.

 

It will never have the same effect. A doll is always a doll, but those photo's are often unclear whether the person is alive or dead.

 

I actually like this idea. I've seen something similar done with life sized porcelain art dolls in the past (not sex dolls, it should be noted). I wish I still had the links to it, but it was quite some time (and at least three computers) ago.

There was a particularly striking (and disturbing) doll of Ophelia in water, which seemed to be (from what I could make out of the image sequence) an evolving piece, as the longer it remained on display in the water, components of the doll seemed to be breaking down. While it was obviously not human decay, flaking layers of paint and such were breaking it down over time, which I thought was a very interesting concept for an art piece. It showed the similarity and the contrast at once, and in a very powerful manner.

 

It doesn't have the same moral effect to me as a real human being post-mortem picture. I would never want to be in a picture with or as the subject, but in artwork with drawings or dolls, they were never alive thus you never had the attatchment as you do a real person.
It sounds really interesting for a doll, though, especially a photo-story.

 

I think it's a cool idea, and it doesn't seem offensive to me. It might be a good idea to put a notice in the title (like "warning: death imagery" or something) like people do for nudity or gore. It won't be some people's cup of tea, but I don't think people are going to freak out about it.

In sense, there are a bunch of dead dolls on DoA already, if you count all the vampires and zombies and ghosts and such. And there's at least one doll who's just dead (though that's more of a funny thing), Dead Gary: http://www.denofangels.com/forums/s...mber-(Dead-Gary-returns!)&highlight=dead+gary

And here is one of my favorite ghost dolls, PoeticSoul's Bellamorte: http://www.denofangels.com/forums/s...te-(Resinsoul-Lilac-Fei)&highlight=bellamorte

I think one of the best books of (human) memorial photography is Wisconsin Death Trip. It's pricey in print, but you can find many of the photos online.

 

I think it's something that would have to be handled very sensitively if done in relation to an actual deceased person, but as surreality's example shows, it has great potential to communicate some powerful themes.

 

I think this is a very interesting concept....and not too much.... The Victorian post mortem photos are intriguing!

Here's one I did in a photo story..... Helena.... My doll in this shoot is AiL Chloe, her eyes are semi closed......



A sleeping eyed doll head is perfect for a project like this. I would like to see more photos done in this style.

Helena shoot
http://www.denofangels.com/forums/s...-Way-Minimee*-Ail-Chloe-Dollstown*-img-Heavy*

xen

 

Koistukihime did that concept for a gallery show back in 2008 (or earlier?); it was lovely!

http://koitsukihime.jp/page/info/event_photo.index.html

 

Here's another DoA member's representation based on a work of art:

LupusDarkmoon's interpretation of W. Eugene Smith's The Wake

 

this was taken in 2005,my concept of a Victorian memorial card

 

I second this, and add Sleeping Beauty: Memorial Photography in America (which is a Twelvetrees Press book, out of print now and insanely expensive ... though libraries may have it).

I find the most poignant of memorial photographs are the ones where the deceased is posed with her or his living relatives. I think it would be difficult to achieve this effect with a grouping of dolls. The quality of dollness seems pretty consistent, whether a doll is open-eyed or not, whereas the difference is pretty clear between living and dead humans.

Edited to say: Aaaaaaand then I looked at the link thegashlycrumb posted and changed my mind.

 

I've seen some lovely memorial photos on flickr and find them heart breakingly beautiful.

@crybabymommie I love your photo!

I don't see why it would be tasteless although a warning in the subject is probably a good idea!

 

here is my Souldoll in a memorial like photo from some war

 

I actually really like the idea, I always thought Post Mortem photography was a really need, though creepy, idea. and in the victorian era, it was like a message to death 'you can never really take this person from me, I refuse to dehumanize them just because they're dead' I would try it if I had a doll with closed eyes...it might even work with an open eyed doll. they did that in the victorian era too...those pictures always freaked me out a lot though.