The Memento Mori series by Svenja Kratz is a collection of domed sculptures that explore themes of death, transformation, and hope, drawing on Victorian mourning traditions. Each dome represents a distinct aspect of life’s cycles and the artist's reflections on mortality:

Death - This dome includes taxidermy birds, beetles, and bone elements, signalling the inevitable nature of death and humanity's desire for remembrance. Engraved with the phrase “Death makes souls and builds monuments - we divide and make ourselves distinct - no one wants to be forgotten,” it reflects the human longing to leave a legacy and confronts the permanence of death.

Transformation - Represented by taxidermy butterflies and other organic materials, this dome signifies the cycle of change, with the engraving “All endings are beginnings - All beginnings are endings.” It captures the idea that transformation is a continuous process, where life and death are interconnected phases.

Hope - This dome, featuring a dove, represents renewal and continuity. The work includes an engraving integrating phrasing from the Xenofeminist Manifesto by Helen Hester. It reads, “Bodies are nests every niche is filled with kin - we are multiple we shed and spill - without the 'infection of purity' the future remains open.” This piece emphasises the open-ended possibilities that come with life’s inherent multiplicity.

Together, these domes create a contemplative "forest" of objects that explore Kratz’s reflections on personal and collective mortality, suggesting that legacy extends beyond individual lives into a larger cycle of interconnected existence

Memento Mori forms part of the Mourning Story exhibition.