There is an expression called ”grief of climate” that refers to feelings of powerlessness and heaviness related to the environmental problems of today. A feeling that every move we make has bad consequences for nature. This essay is an investigation of how art in general and jewellery art in particular can be a way of discussing and visualizing current environmental problems and the complex relationship between human and nature. I am discussing how artworks dealing with a dark and dystopian picture of the relation can be seen as the memento mori of our time. A reminder of nature perishing as a consequence of our behavior. A reminder ultimately talking about our human mortality, our position of power and whether we are to blame for the situation.

Memento mori is a genre within art with a long tradition. Historically the latin phrase meaning ‘remember death’ has been dealing with the human fear of death and the desire for immortality. Today there is an increasing understanding of our coexistence with nature and our fear of death has in a way broadened to include even nonhuman creatures and nature.

My investigation deals with the possibilities of creating an imaginary picture of reality with object related to the body. As jewellery is interpreted in connection with the human body it has a unique ability to tell stories about humans as individuals but also humanity in a broader sense. As a conclusion the tradition of memento mori jewellery has a potential to further develop within a contemporary context and discuss the distorted relationship between human and nature.

The work consist of one theoretical and one practical part.