The End: A Meditation on Death and Extinction

Image courtesy of Washington.org

By Angela Hickey

2019 brought many great changes to humanity and society. Mostly, the change came from the people who were tired of taking things as they came and went completely against the status quo to pave the way for a brighter future. One of these activists, an artist, decided to use her talents in order to spread her message to a wider audience and impact society’s thi

Judy Chicago, a contemporary artist, activist, and feminist icon has never been known to shy away from touchy subject matters. Her famous exhibit, Dinner Party, is a celebration of the legacies of women throughout history. Since then, she has yet to slow down, using multiple art forms and mediums to create her numerous exhibits that have inspired many, and her latest one is no different.

Her latest exhibit, titled The End: A Meditation on Death and Extinction, covers human morality and species extinction. The  series of nearly 40 works of painted porcelain and glass are described as “a visceral antidote to a culture that prizes youth and beauty, and often ignores the suffering of other creatures”,according to  the official website of the National Museum of Women in the Arts. 

In this series, Chicago decided to use smaller-scale pieces that reveal a larger narrative. The series itself depicts the five stages of grief, morality, and extinction, with each exhibit occupying its own room. 

“While the first two address human aging and both the denial and acceptance of death, the third is a stunning analysis of the destruction that humans have perpetuated upon animal species and the Earth, a topic that hits home in 2019” says washington.org.

This exhibit, easily identifiable by its various mediums and intense subject matter, is a must see for anyone who appreciates avante-garde styles and impactful imagery. The End is intentionally designed by Chicago to be confrontational, and remind the audience of the truths they might refuse to face on their own. 

Chicago wants her audience to feel the same raw emotions that she did, and to understand the reality of her subject in nature.The End: A Meditation on Death and Extinction, is officially opened to the public on September 19th, 2019, and will be on display at the National Museum of Women in the Arts until January 20th, 2020, from 10 am to 5 pm on Monday through Saturday and 12 pm to 5 pm on Sundays.