Julia deVille: Ossuarium

Artist list

Julia deVille

An ossuarium is a container or receptacle for holding the bones of the dead. Coffins, skeletons and deaths heads have historically been used to symbolise the imminence of our earthly demise. Julia deVille’s practice takes its cue from this tradition of ‘Memento Mori’ (reminders of mortality). In Ossuarium we see the results of meticulous research into the anatomy of the skeleton: DeVille has photographed, drawn and disassembled carefully sourced specimens; cast the pieces in a range of materials and finally re-assembled them into wearable objects and sculptural pieces. DeVille is well-known for combining traditional gold and silversmithing techniques with materials that were once living, such as jet, human hair and taxidermied animals. Ossuarium will examine both the structural and cultural meanings carried within the skeleton, the most tangible marker of a life lived.