Beautiful Decay

 

I’ve always been fascinated with death, decay, the macabre, gore, the forbidden and the banned. For as long as I can remember I’ve marvelled at the incredible interior of deceased wildlife. Morbid curiosity and a love of biology, you see.

As I used to walk through forestry and hills in my native country of Scotland I stumbled across countless monuments to life no more. The dull, bland fur on the outside concealing an intricate world beneath the skin. Bones giving unique form, anchoring tendons and ligaments to create the ability to move. The ribcage holding the sacred heart within which once pumped life-giving blood to the rhythm of a trusty antique clock. Inside the cranial vault was the home of their soul now since departed.

Skeletal remains covered in moss and discoloured green is a natural beauty that can’t quite be put into words. Disemboweled kills lay with arched backs as though proudly displaying the intricate structures within. Sheep fleece caught on rusty barbed wire fences flickered in the breeze like butterflies dancing upon flowers. Death and decay was everywhere and none of it caused me distress. I collected intact skulls and after extensive cleaning, displayed them on my uncle’s old wooden Indian trunk. In death I saw that there still remained beauty.

Gore. The forbidden. The Internet. Here was a situation where people were adamant it was their right to judge you. Telling you you’re not normal and not to look at such things, meanwhile they’re off to watch the Saw Anthology. Why? I retorted. It’s sick vile gros blah blah blah yes you’ve made your sanctimonious point. Is it wrong to observe the process of death, the extent of injuries that can be miraculously survived, field medicine or ballistics? Do the medically trained not observe and deal with these subjects also? “Yes but it’s their job”. Right! So how did they learn? Cadavers, textbooks and these days, highly likely digging into sites on the Internet? People of a certain disposition seek out these subjects to learn, And knowledge and understanding isn’t a sin worthy of judgement.

Death, horror, gore, etc immerse you in a world of the unbelievable. A world where, once you leave it by pressing ‘stop’ on that YouTube video, logging out of that forum or simply continue your walk through the countryside, you actually really appreciate the little things in life. A tiny flower peeking through a crack in the path, a lone bird singing proudly on a chimney pot, sitting on your favourite bench as you smile at pigeons flirting with each other. So many beautiful simple things are amplified dramatically after studying the forbidden zone or glimpsing at a bird mauled by a cat.

Whatever your interests be they common or taboo

Allow nobody to judge you

Be no-one but you

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