"My body of work Ephemerality of life is heavily influenced by the twin phrases ‘memento mori’ and ‘memento vivere’, which translate to ‘remember that you must die’ and ‘remember that you must live’. I have interpreted these as a gentle reminder of the presence of death, to be aware and acceptant its inevitability, but taking this as motivation to appreciate life rather than letting it weigh you down. The Latin phrases stem from ancient Rome, where they served as a reminder of one’s morality, which has been a reoccurring theme throughout history. Similarly, the 17th century art period vanitas explores the idea of a fleeting life, where symbolism is used to represent various contrasting aspects of life and death. Vanitas was a strong influence for the first piece in my body of work, titled memento mori – a circle of life where lively florals and a macabre skull were utilised to symbolically portray a strong juxtaposition between themes."

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