memento mori ~ 1

After writing a few times in a row about how the world is on fire, I figured today I would write about something a little bit lighter: death.

I find "death" as a topic interesting, but that likely stems from my history with cemeteries. I grew up playing in them. I visit them to this day, whether it is here in Pittsburgh, or elsewhere in the world. I even write about them. I will go into this more in the future, but for now, just know that even though some people find this subject matter upsetting or weird, I do not.

If you do not care for cemeteries, today's indoor animal is a choose your own adventure of sorts. If you're open to visiting a cemetery together with me right now from where you sit, go to A. If you'd rather just see an art exhibit, go to B.

A.)

Click the link below 👇. Click it.

LIVE NOW! Warhol Cam

Celebrate the life and work of iconic American artist, Andy Warhol, with a combination of live streaming webcams and megapixel art cameras in Pittsburgh, PA. EarthCam has teamed up with affiliates The Andy Warhol Museum and St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church to bring viewers around the world a unique cradle to grave experience. These exclusive views are from several locations, including the church where Andy was baptized and the cemetery that is his final resting place. Visitors from around the world travel to Pittsburgh to honor and even speak to Andy Warhol. These Conversations with Andy are chronicled by local artist, Madelyn Roehrig. Now you can ‘speak to’ and ‘listen to’ Andy 24/7, create your own unique art piece and remember Andy by sending a Campbell’s soup can or flowers to his grave.

Warhol Cam

That box 👆 should take you to a 24-hour live feed of Andy Warhol's grave. It makes it possible to stare at the final resting place of a leading figure in the pop art movement. In the physical world, his gravesite is located in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, on a steep grassy hillside. I've been there. Proof:

That was a sunny fall day in 2022. And here is what it looks like right now as I write this:

Thinking about "death" and being in cemeteries always causes my mind to churn through many other thoughts. Just looking at his tombstone right now, I think about pop art, New York City, Praying Hands by Albrecht Dürer, how Warhol actually died twice, Susan Sontag, memento mori in art, quantum physics, an episode of the show Community, my grade school, my high school, and more. For some reason, I find a lot to think about in these places, and sometimes stories swell up within me. I hope today's visit to Warhol's grave sparked some thoughts within you as well.

B.)

Click the link below 👇. Click it.

Figment | The Andy Warhol Museum

Warhol for All

The Andy Warhol Museum

That box 👆 should take you to an art exhibit at The Andy Warhol Museum called Figment. Physically, it is located in the lobby of the The Andy Warhol Museum on the Northside of Pittsburgh. Many museum attendees miss it because it is tucked in a back corner away from the admissions desk. It may seem like a visit to a grave, but it is art. I mean, it is in a museum, so it's art. As the age old question goes, if it is in a museum, is it art? Yes, it is.

The end of the adventure –

So it seems like both paths ended at the same place. Is it a gravesite? Is it art? Did it make you feel anything? Did any unexpected thoughts arise during your time? If so, tip your docent. (Not really.)

indoor animal is curated by a human: Tim Papciak.  On Mondays, he shares one link to one music video to help spark creativity in other creative types. On Thursdays, he recommends a book, movie, show, art piece, or link to some dusty corner of the internet that he believes either 1.) adds to the human experience, or 2.) serves as a coping mechanism in the year 2025. Note: this is not, and never will be, self-help content.