Interdisciplinary exhibition delves into death and human dignity

An interdisciplinary exhibition exploring critical topics such as the disclosure of illness, medical decision-making, traditional wisdom on life and death, and mortality and addressing individual rights and dignity within the medical system has kicked off at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center (SWCAC).

Visitors observe displays at the "Bringing Death Back into Life" exhibition at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center in Shekou on Friday. Xie Xiangnan

Jointly organized by the Center for Medical Sociology at the School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University, and SWCAC, the Shenzhen leg of the national touring exhibition, “Bringing Death Back into Life,” brings together 25 creators from the fields of art, anthropology, sociology, medicine, and social work to present a diverse range of media, including video, installations, painting, interactive media and archival documents. 

During the exhibition period, SWCAC will host more than 10 public education lectures and workshops, such as “The Last Chapter of Life” and “Living Wills” featuring sociologists, public health scholars, hospice care practitioners and artists.

The concept of "Bringing Death Back into Life" originates from a landmark 2022 report of the same name published by Commission on the Value of Death of "The Lancet." The report calls for a fundamental re-evaluation of end-of-life care and societal attitudes toward dying, emphasizing that the end of life should be recognized as an essential part of life itself. While death has long been a taboo subject shrouded in grief, loss, and helplessness, the exhibition does not seek to amplify sadness or create sensational shock. Instead, it confronts death with a rational and gentle posture, interpreting it as a continuation of life and a reflection of the meaning of living.

One of the curators of the exhibition introduces an exhibit to visitors at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center on Friday. Hu Lei

It carries profound significance to host the exhibition in Shenzhen, which is currently the only city in China with legislation protecting a patient’s right to make their own end-of-life decisions. In 2022, a revised version of the Medical Regulations of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone was passed, marking a major breakthrough in the right to choose at the end of life. If a patient has made a living will stating they do not wish to receive futile medical rescue, hospitals must respect their wishes, allowing them to pass away in peace.

Through spatial design, contrasting materials, lighting, and interactive soundscapes, the Shenzhen exhibition tailors its physical environment to the core message of each artwork, balancing artistic presentation, academic dissemination, and public experience. “Bringing Death Back into Life” serves as a spiritual space for unresolved emotions and collective imagination, inviting visitors to reflect on how we face death and how we understand living.

Visitors at the exhibition. Photos by Hu Lei

The featured artists in the exhibition include Masuma Halai Khwaja (Pakistan), Bao Siyi, He Jinwei, He Peng, Herwig Scherabon (Austria), and Huang Haochuan, among others.

The curatorial and academic team brings together diverse expertise to shape the exhibition’s vision. Academic advisor Jing Jun, who earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1994, taught at the City University of New York before joining Tsinghua University's Department of Sociology in 2000. He joined Sun Yat-sen University in 2025 as a Distinguished Professor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. His research focuses on historical memory, environmental protests, public health, aging, and hospice care. 

The exhibition is co-curated by Zhou Wenjing, an artist and curator holding master's degrees from both the École des Beaux-Arts de Nantes and the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, and Yue Mingyue, a Ph.D. graduate from the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University.

Dates: Through Oct. 11

Venue: Garden Gallery, L3, Sea World Culture and Arts Center, Nanshan District (南山区海上世界文化艺术中心L3花园展馆)

Metro: Line 2 or 12 to Sea World Station (海上世界站), Exit A