A ‘Living Will’ is a written document that allows a patient to give explicit instructions about medical treatment to be administered when the patient is terminally ill or permanently unconscious — also called an advance directive. With improvements in modern medicine, the life of persons who are terminally ill or permanently unconscious can be prolonged. For increasing numbers of persons, the decision of whether to prolong life is being made in the form of a living will. The living will is one type of advance directive that may be used by a person before ‘incapacitation‘ to outline a full range of treatment preferences or — as it is most often used — to reject treatment. (tfd)
HAF: Mario, when I first saw this image at the Mona Lisa studio in Lecce, Italy in 2015, during my residency with GAP III, it captivated me. The graphic symbolism portrayed with a nude back with words splashed over the surface was powerful. I was further moved when I learned that it was you in the picture and that the words formed the contract of a living will. Tell us more about this collection.
Mario: The Living Will is a collaboration between photographer Michaela Stifani and myself. This project arose from the difficult topic of euthanasia through a living will. This project was made visible through 13 photographs. Step by step, through the details of a depersonalized body stripped of universal meaning — a body that speaks of suffering and pain, but also of choices and awareness. It is an ethereal body which, however, is ready to give itself completely.
“Live well and die even better is what I strongly wish. ” Mario Catalano
HAF: What type of heart did you use, and what does it represent?
Mario: Animal heart of course, directly from my butcher. I would never play with humans. Even so, it wasn’t easy to handle. The heart represents the importance of donating our organs.
HAF: Why English, since your first language is Italian?
Mario: In English, it reaches more people. The only thing I can say is that I really believe in the power to choose to be euthanized in case of serious illnesses. This is an important message to share with the world.
Michaela Stifani, photographer, lives in Lecce, Italy
click to see the complete collection