Tag: Danse Macabre

Macabre Crime – A Story Starter

IF THE WALLS OF THE former Centralia High School in Illinois could talk, they’d probably tell us the story of a bizarre crime wave that swept the campus in the 1940s. How else could 15 wallets from that decade end up stashed in an air duct in what was the women’s restroom?

Three weeks ago, an unsuspecting plumber—working on converting the old school building into a new space for the City Hope Church—pulled the wallets out of the bathroom wall as he tore it down for remodelling…. read more

Using material provided create a character who was responsible for collecting these ‘trophies’ from their victims.

Visiting The Other Room – A Writing Prompt

“Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there’s a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see.” – Helen Keller

“Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away to the next room”. – Henry Scott Holland

Find a place where you will not be disturbed.

Sit comfortably

Take three deep breaths to calm yourself.

Close your eyes.

Feel your body relaxing from the centre of your being outward, through your chest, through your arms to your hands, up to your back, through your neck and jaw. Relax your face, relax your eyes. Let the relaxation radiate through your pelvis and down your legs until it reaches the very tips of your toes.

Now that you are relaxed imagine you see a doorway in front of you. Move through that doorway into another room. The room is pleasant and open. At the other end of the room is something sitting, waiting patiently. Take three deep breaths and as you breathe begin to wiggle your toes and your fingers. Take note of all the sounds and sights in the room around you.

When you are ready to write start your timer and write freely for twenty minutes.

Now alter your perspective and write as though it was someone else who entered the room.

Kutna Hora Bone Church

Kutná Hora is known for the curious “Bone Church” or Ossuary (in Czech Kostnice). It is located in the suburb of Sedlec. The Ossuary is in the underground chapel of the Church of All Saints. It contains the bones of about 40,000 people who died of the plague in 1318 and during the Hussite wars in the 15th century. They were originally buried at the church cemetery. When the cemetery was closed at the end of the 15th century, the exhumed bones were transferred to the chapel and compiled into pyramids. In 1870, František Rint of Česká Skalice arranged the bones and skulls into creative decorations that include bells, the Schwarzenberg coat-of-arms, and a chandelier.

Featured on countless travel lists and videos online, Sedlec Ossuary’s reputation had preceded it. I mean how often do you get to see a chandelier made of bones? If you’re the kind of person who likes the spooky, bizarre or macabre things in life then Kutna Hora Bone Church will not disappoint. I know that the day trip to the Bohemian town was certainly a highlight of my trip to the Czech Republic.

Art Installation With a Difference

Visitors to the bone church often describe it as macabre, eerie or creepy and I once asked the lady at the desk if she ever felt bothered to be working there. She flipped her hand in a dismissive way and said “Pfft! They’re only bones, they won’t hurt you; it’s the living who scare me”.

Like the lady at the desk in the bone church in Kutna Hora I did not find the art installation there creepy, macabre or eerie. It was actually very beautiful.

Likewise, I do not find the concept of hanging coffins creepy or macabre. Located 275 km. north of Manila, Sagada is famous for the “hanging coffins”, examples of which are shown here. This was a traditional way of burying people that is not in use anymore. Forebears of current residents practised the unusual burial practice of hanging and stacking coffins, hewed from tree trunks, in the limestone karst cliffs and caves near town. If I ever make it to the Philippines this will be on my checklist of things to see.

However, to be really frank, it will be hard for me to match the awe I experienced when I visited the Bone Chapel in Kutna Hora in the Czech Republic. My personal favourite was the coat of arms of the Schwarzenberg family, especially the segment depicting a raven picking the eye from an invading soldier. If you’re going to depict a raven eating somebody’s eye, what more appropriate medium could there be?

Seek out and share examples of what could be deemed installation art. Here are some examples of things to be found in Victoria.

Installation Honoring Ancestors

Headstone Back Stories

 

Captain Patrick Alexander A Native of Scotland who after sailing the stormy seas for nineteen years emigrated with his wife and family to Australia 1830. There ended his life voyages peacefully. Also, his son Oliver born October 4th 1847 Died April 5th 1851 Aged 4 years.

I have been back, wandering around old rural cemeteries seeking inspiration! These headstones provide character, the hint of a plot and a back story to explore. I will be back with interested writers seeking inspiration.

Summoning Representatives to Dance with Death

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.laborer

The Danse Macabre consists of the dead or a personification of death summoning representatives from all walks of life to dance along to the grave typically with a pope, emperor, king, child and labourer. It was produced as memento mori to remain people of the fragility of their lives and how vain were the glories of earthly life. Its origins date back to the 14th century.

A small group of residents from Bancroft Manor have decided to head out on tour and, amongst other things explore cemeteries, picnic by gravesides, talk to the dead and document the life experience of some of the residents of these peaceful places.

In short, we will go where death chooses to take us.

If, as a writer or artist you sometimes feel that you are talking to the void you may be interested in joining us at Bancroft Manor. There is a one-off, inexpensive joining fee. This gives you access to the Bancroft Manor Facebook Group where prompts and creative stimuli are regularly provided and you share with likeminded. It also qualifies you to post on associated blogs.

In case you are wondering what you can offer! Perhaps you enjoy researching and sourcing macabre news! Maybe you are a photographer who loves to photograph cemeteries and abandoned places. It is possible that you love the whole crime genre or love to dabble in dark subjects. Be assured that there is a place for people of very diverse interest here.