Conversations about Mortality is a series that uses installation, sculpture, painting, and audio to explore our relationship to mortality. The premise of the work relies on the quote, “The truth is rather than the images, though beautiful in themselves, come to life in the act of vanishing…” The research begins with a recorded conversation with four individuals who have all lost someone they love. The audio explores the memories each speaker has of the deceased. A portrait of the speaker is painted on watersoluble paper with a quote from the conversation laser etched into the back of the painting. The painting is then placed in a water vessel made of plexiglass, and then installed on found raw wood and steel for support. Viewers are encouraged to sit on a provided chair to listen to each speaker. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.F.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection