The Eternal Body is the second in a series of 6 workshops, each lasting 2 days, as part of Emperor Qin’s Mausoleum. This is a collective project and curriculum led by artist Marguerite Humeau on the quest for eternal life. The project takes as a starting point China’s first Emperor Qin (259-210 BC) and the finely crafted and engineered mausoleum he commissioned for himself. In an attempt to ‘re-humanise humanity’, Marguerite Humeau has gathered experts from the fields of architecture, botany, embalming and sound to work with us over 6 workshops.

Session 2: The Eternal Body

We will start with a talk by local embalmer Dr. Philip Gore, who will teach us about the history and art of embalming. We will then draw from the techniques, tools and knowledge passed on by Philip to develop sculptural methods and an understanding of materials that can survive time. We will also use embalming techniques metaphorically, to think about eternity and the afterlife.

Read more about the overall project and future sessions here.