The Artwork of Dr. Death (Jack Kevorkian)

ASBERAZ POST
By Jean Murachanian

"Very Still Life" (1996) by Jack Kevorkian

The man known as Dr. Death died a few months ago, on June 3, 2011. Regardless of your views on assisted suicide, you probably have an opinion about Jack Kevorkian. The right to assisted suicide is one that Dr. Kevorkian advocated for, with every inch of his being, including interestingly – and unexpectedly – with his artwork. Dr. Kevorkian’s creations are not what we might consider high or fine art (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kevorkian/aboutk/art/). The 1996 painting, "Very Still Life," is reminiscent of Dutch “vanitas” paintings popular in the 17th century, which served to remind the viewer of the transience of earthly life. This brief overview of some of Kevorkian’s key pieces reveals unexpected perspectives and paradoxical messages about the nature of life, faith and self-determination, with warnings against both the temptations of hopelessness and the vagaries of self-determination. [link]

"Nearer My God to Thee" (1994) by Jack Kevorkian