My Beautiful Death; An Artist Discovers That Her Materials Have Poisoned Her

Toronto-based sculptor Gillian Gensler writes about discovering that the shells she uses in her work have been toxic, including the statue she calls Adam:

I completed Adam in 2015. If I had left him unfinished, this all would have been for nothing. I often think of Beethoven, who suffered from lead poisoning; he lost his hearing and producing his work became an angry struggle. In the end, he had to create his music from the memory of sound. I was creating my art from the memory of joy. When I look at Adam, I feel grief—both for myself and our planet. But I also feel satisfaction because he is magnificent. That’s how I find my hope. I call him my beautiful death.

My Beautiful Death