Art brings colour and dash to final journey

By RICHARD PAMATATAU

Auckland designer Jane Gower-Hall is burying the tradition of plain caskets through the use of computer technology and adhesive vinyl.

Gower-Hall has set up DyingArt, a company producing a range of caskets that are decorated with clouds, bush and beach scenes, roses and even cats and dogs.

Adobe Illustrator software and an Apple Mac enable her to take royalty-free images and create an adhesive "vinyl sticker" for the exterior surface of the casket.

"I've been to a few funerals and while they were a celebration, I felt the casket in a way did not reflect the personality of the person," said Gower-Hall.

The idea came about when she updated her will a few years ago and specified that she wanted a rose-covered casket lined with red satin.

As the business developed, Gower-Hall said she would produce personalised caskets.

"The files are about 500-megabytes and the person can get a paper print first," said Gower-Hall.

The disk could then be held by a funeral director, solicitor or family member, she said.

Building the images could be complex, she said, but it was satisfying to produce a beautiful casket.

Kevin Cleary, a forensic psychiatrist and consultant at West London's Mental Health Trust, said decorated caskets harked back to many funeral traditions and most people would be familiar with the ornate decoration used by the Egyptians.

Although they were not everyone's cup of tea, he said, a casket with computer-generated images might help in a difficult time for friends and relations.

The Rev Ross Bay of St Mark's Remuera said if people wished to opt for a decorated casket that was fine so long as the solemnity of a funeral was upheld.

"Many people see funerals as events which can take from the spiritual aspects of it.

"People are doing all sorts of things for funerals nowadays and this is obviously another development," he said.

David Morrison, funeral director at Morrison's Funerals, said coloured caskets were in already.

"We have had purple and multicoloured caskets," he said.

Mr Morrison said the choice of a casket was up to the family of the dead person if he or she had not previously specified what was wanted.

Ms Gower-Hall would not reveal prices for her caskets.

DyingArt