Hand-Made Soap Skulls To Remind Us That We Can’t Escape Death

Eden Gorgos, a California-based artist, fascinated with all that is horrible and morbid, has created a line of hand-made skull shape soaps called “Art Of Dying” that, in her words, are “symbolic of the brevity of life.”

Even though these handmade soaps remind us that none can escape the icy embrace of death, they really seem quite pleasant. According to her Kickstarter, the natural soaps are all “scented with the essence of citrus, earth, and sensual flowers” and are made “with coconut oil, colored with natural clay/herb/flower, and formulated to moisturize without sacrificing lather.” Supporters can also receive astral goat soap as well!

Read on for some of Gorgos’ answers to Bored Panda’s questions about her soap making.

More info: Kickstarter (h/t: laughingsquid)

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“I love funerary art,” Eden Gorgos told Bored Panda, “particularly the Vanitas style of the renaissance period, Memento Mori having a fitting overlap there. Both motifs are representative of impermanence and, philosophically, are a call to reflect not just on mortality but where we place value (earthly pleasures, amounting possessions, ego)”

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“I really wanted to capture the aesthetic of the classic art style as well as the death wish message behind it and soaping made sense as a more or less subtle delivery. Remember, nothing lasts forever”

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“I was actually introduced to cold process soaping by a good friend and was totally impressed with the pure alchemy of it. I thought it would be a wonderful way to challenge myself both artistically and in a practical sense”

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“I’ve tried a few different mediums over the years but most of all I enjoy working with my hands. There’s something really primal about digging in and making a form from nothing but your imagination and basic materials. Also, I suck at painting”

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“I am very excited and humbled to have found an audience for what I do, and I hope to continue making products that resonate with people in the years to come. I’m already working on concepts for new soaps and, hopefully, a mask or two. You haven’t seen the last of me”