Artist Jae Rhim Lee demonstrated a very unique way of confronting cultural attitudes about death when she took the stage in her new creation – the “Death Suit” – at the TED Global conference in 2011.
Photo: James Duncan Davidson/TED
While it doesn't look particularly threatening, the suit is designed to contain a type of fungus Lee calls the “Infinity Mushroom,” which she has specially bred to consume human flesh.
“I am interested in cultural death denial, and why we are so distanced from our bodies, and especially how death denial leads to funeral practices that harm the environment,” Lee told New Scientist during the conference. “These mushrooms... can be trained to grow on pretty much any organic material and break it down. So I started collecting my hair, nails and skin so I could pick the best mushrooms to become Infinity Mushrooms, to recognize and eat my body after I die.”
Image: Mikey Siegel
The goal of the Infinity Burial Project is to market “burial kits” (including the suit, a burial container, and organic compounds that accelerate the decomposition process) to the public as an alternative to the usual funeral practices. Lee revealed that many people have “expressed an interest” in the kits, but the product has not yet been officially launched to consumers.
Learn more about the Infinity Burial Project at their official site.