DED – Leaving Euphemisms for Dead

You know those classic phrases like ‘Rode into the Sunset’, ‘Croaked It’, ‘Pushing Up Daisies’, and ‘Kicked the Bucket’? They’re practically part of our linguistic DNA. Wikipedia has 62 entries on its ‘List of English-language euphemisms for death’ page. But why do we dance around the word ‘death’ with these euphemisms? Perhaps it’s for our own comfort, or maybe it’s to soften the impact on others, or perhaps we’re just skirting around the inevitable.

Using euphemisms as the provocation, or the muse, join poet Clare Bizley, and visual artist and fashion designer Marlene Kranz, to respond to one or all the euphemisms. Blow them up, confront them, ponder their purpose, rearrange them, write a skit, write your own, or reframe them. The choice is yours.

Death Education and Discussion (DED) sessions take place on the first Saturday of the month and are an opportunity to tackle the topic of death from different angles. All sessions are respectful, curious, and may include creative elements.

The August DED session is generously supported by the Australian Government Regional Arts Fund, which supports the arts in regional and remote Australia.