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An Introduction to Taphophilia Class with Morbid Anatomy
On Tuesdays this August, I’ll be leading an “Introduction to Taphophilia” online class with Morbid Anatomy. We will be covering topics like the traditions of respectful cemetery recreation, how to understand tombstone symbolism, and ways to share cemeteries through things like walking tours and zine making. More details here!
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Upcoming Grave Talk in Tulsa
I’m excited to announce an upcoming talk with Magic City Books in Tulsa on “The History of Graves” including stories from my Grave book. It will be held on September 24 at 2pm. Hope to see many Okies there!
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On NYC Brutalism
I shared some of my thoughts on Brutalist architecture in New York City and building preservation with Blue Crow Media, which published the Concrete New York map that I edited. Check out the Q&A on their site! The map is available on its own or in a New York Maps Set that also includes two…
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Lily Dale Symposium
I’m thrilled to be joining the lineup for this summer’s Science of Things Spiritual Symposium in Lily Dale, New York. The Spiritualist community is a fascinating place to visit, where mediums practice in the houses and people join in gatherings each day to connect with something beyond the veil. I’ll be talking about my new…
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New Books Network Podcast
Miranda Melcher with the New Books Network podcast had me on for an interview related to my book Grave. Listen here for our conversation about how we care for the dead, how we could do better, and why cemeteries are fascinating places to investigate.
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Morris Hirshfield Feature in Raw Vision Magazine
I contributed a feature story on the self-taught artist Morris Hirshfield to the spring 2023 issue of Raw Vision magazine. Born in 1872, Hirshfield did not start painting until the age of 65 after a career in the New York City garment industry: At first, Hirshfield stuck with carving and made a large prayer-stand for…
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Tombstone Recipes in Reforma
I discussed tombstone recipes and the Cooking with the Dead zine with the Spanish-language publication Reforma. It’s always fun to share more of why recipes carved on headstones are so special and our adventures in trying to make them.
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New Epitaphs Zine
I made a new short publication called Some New York City Epitaphs of final messages from the famous, ordinary, and unknown found in cemeteries across the five boroughs. It is illustrated throughout with flowers sourced from the Biodiversity Heritage Library’s incredible digitized resources. My favorite epitaph in it comes from comic book editor Julius Schwartz…
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Grave: Out Now!
My first book—Grave—is officially out from Bloomsbury’s Object Lessons series! It’s a concise exploration of the past, present, and future of how Americans care for the dead and is told from my perspective as a cemetery tour guide. It was a journey to write and I’m proud to have it out in the world. Pick…
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Cover Story for Raw Vision Magazine
My first cover story for Raw Vision magazine is on Grant Wallace who based his mysterious illustrations on messages from spirits and extraterrestrials. The full story is available in print and an excerpt is online: When he died in 1954 at the age of 87, The New York Times wrote in Grant Wallace’s obituary that…
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A Year of NYC Microseasons!
The NYC Microseasons project I’ve been doing with my friend Erin Chapman reached a full year of seasons on Winter Solstice 2022. Visit our site for all of our weekly missives and sign up for the newsletter: Each week was an opportunity to pay close attention to the small changes in both the natural and…
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Black Studio Photographers Exhibit for Fine Books
For the winter 2023 issue of Fine Books Magazine, I wrote about the ‘Called to the Camera’ exhibition on Black studio photographers that was on view at the New Orleans Museum of Art: These photographers were often working across commercial assignments, advertising, photojournalism, and the fine arts; still their studio practice was pivotal in giving…
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Tales of Discovery for JSTOR Daily
I contributed two stories timed with discoveries to JSTOR Daily, one on the discovery of King Tut’s tomb and another on the deciphering of the Rosetta Stone: With all this attention paid to the Rosetta Stone, its meaning beyond an object used by European scholars to unlock an ancient script is frequently overlooked. The moment…
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Cemetery Language of Flowers Zine
My latest spooky zine is The Cemetery Language of Flowers, a compact guide to the symbolism of flora found in graveyards. It includes 28 pages of original text and photographs, ranging from the meaning behind broken roses to the complex symbolism of the passionflower. Pick up at copy here.
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Grave for Object Lessons!
I wrote a book! Grave for the Object Lessons series of compact publications is now available to pre-order from Bloomsbury. I’m excited to share my short exploration of the American grave as a design object: “The grave may be a final destination, but it is not the great leveler, and permanency is always a privilege.”…
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Art as a Meditation on Death, for Art & Object
Artist Andrew Wyeth’s “Funeral Group” drawings are having their debut presentation at the Colby College Museum of Art in Waterville, Maine. I wrote about the haunting work for Art & Object: Wyeth remains an artist many consider on the fringes of twentieth-century American art who was a contrarian to the shifts in modern visual expression.…
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Stories on Landscapes & Unburnable Books for Fine Books Magazine
For the Autumn 2022 issue of Fine Books Magazine I have two stories in print! One is on the landscape photography of Robert Adams that is currently on view at the National Gallery of Art: For five decades Robert Adams has captured with a quiet clarity the landscapes of the American West. He has given…
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Reviews for Raw Vision Magazine
I have been doing fairly regular reviews for Raw Vision Magazine of “self-taught” and folk art in their print issues. The Summer 2022 issue includes three reviews I wrote: Dan Miller and Domenico Zindato at Andrew Edlin Gallery, Black Dolls at the New-York Historical Society, and Frédéric Bruly Bouabré at the Museum of Modern Art.…
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Photographs by Gordon Parks of WWII Industry, for Art & Object
I’m always interested in lesser known aspects of famous artist’s work, and I had the opportunity to write about the World War II-era photographs Gordon Parks took in Pittsburgh at the Penola, Inc. grease plant. Read all about it at Art & Object: In American industrial hubs during World War II, what’s known as the…
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Sharing Tombstone Recipes Insights in the New York Times
As much as I enjoy writing, it’s also fun to be an interviewee for topics I’m passionate about! The New York Times asked me about tombstone recipes and gave a very kind shout out to the Cooking With the Dead zine that I co-wrote all about the people who choose recipes as their epitaphs: Allison…