Ars Moriendi

MJ Nelson

108 in × 28 in

Acrylic on wood framed canvas

With its undulating silhouette and visceral interplay of color, Ars Moriendi emerges as both a sculptural painting and a profound meditation on existence and impermanence. The title, translating to “The Art of Dying,” situates the work within the philosophical tradition of contemplating mortality, yet here, it takes on a tactile, almost breathing presence, its rhythmic curves echoing the rise and fall of life itself.

Rendered in a striking palette of deep ultramarine and sanguine red, the composition pulses with tension, its hues evoking vitality and decay, struggle and surrender. The rich, textured application of acrylic lends a raw, timeworn quality, as if the passage of time has etched itself onto the very surface of the work.

Challenging conventional modes of viewing, “Ars Moriendi” defies the traditional rectangular frame. Its non-traditional shape—marked by carved recesses and protrusions—transforms it into an interactive experience, compelling the viewer’s gaze to follow its flowing edges, much like the unpredictable journey of life and its inevitable resolution. This sculptural quality blurs the boundary between painting and relief, reinforcing the piece’s dialogue between presence and absence, structure and dissolution.