12 Jul Performing Mourning
Guy Cools
Instead of declaring death a taboo, we should find ways to integrate it into our lives, as is already done in many cultures. Because even worse than grieving for a loved one is not knowing how to grieve and thus not having an outlet. And if one thing is certain in life, it is that it is finite.
Dramaturg Guy Cools shows us how important it is to be able to mourn the dead properly – from lament songs to mourning rituals. He is particularly interested in how the emotions of loss need to be externalised. Lamentations are a formal device used in many cultures to express the emotions of grief. In a poetic, meandering and personal way, Cools explores cultural customs, traditions, rituals and artistic performances.