When I was young, I remember attending the funeral of my beloved uncle. In those days, it was customary to have open casket funerals at the Black Church of our family in Hamilton, Ontario. I remember the choir singing and the church was filled with both relatives and members of our church community.

As a young child, this was my first experience of a funeral. At the conclusion of the service, everyone formed a line and took turns saying their final goodbyes. Although I was too young to be truly frightened, I felt a sense of sadness and curiosity. When it was my turn, I remember kissing my uncle's forehead. I was struck by his stillness, as he had always been a lively and animated figure in my eyes, someone greatly loved. In that moment, I realized that his body was now a vessel, devoid of the life force that once animated it. Perhaps this was the lesson conveyed by the ritual. It's a memory that has stayed with me ever since.

In our culture, death is seldom discussed openly, yet it remains one of the few certainties of life. Whether one believes in an afterlife or sees death as leading nowhere or everywhere, the human skeleton carries meaning related to our fears and fantasies about death. These emotions are confined to the realm of the living, as the deceased have moved on to their next adventure or rest in peace. It is the living who grapple with the symbols of the dead, experiencing pain, sadness, and questioning the fate of those we love but can no longer reach, except in our minds, hearts, and imagination.

In the age of modern technology, we are constantly confronted with reminders of death's proximity. People of color are subjected to violence by the police, school and public shootings seem to occur daily, and images of violence from wars are accessible with a simple press of a button.

Drawing on her Southern-American roots and African diasporic spiritual practices, Jan Wade's (b. 1952, Hamilton, Ontario) work explores Black post-colonial identity, ethnicity, and spirituality. She produces paintings, textiles and a mixed-media works that feature slogans and symbols - like the cross, guns and money - and are made entirely from found or readymade objects, and recycled materials.