Imagine being asked how you’d like to spend your final moments—a question that’s both deeply personal and universally profound. This is exactly what an Ottawa exhibition is daring Canadians to ponder. The Art of a Good Death, currently on display at the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG), transforms the often-taboo topic of end-of-life care into a conversation starter through painting, film, and interactive art. But here’s where it gets controversial: Can art truly capture the essence of dying well? And who gets to define what that even means?
Created by Ottawa researcher Sarina Isenberg alongside artists from across Canada, the exhibition challenges visitors with an unsettling yet essential question: What does it mean to die well? The project was inspired by Isenberg’s desire to bring palliative-care research out of academic silos and into the public eye. ‘It’s about merging my scientific mind with my artistic side,’ she explains, ‘and reminding us that these spheres aren’t mutually exclusive—they’re part of our shared humanity.’
One of the standout pieces is Vent de Melisse by Aimee-Rose Philibert, a hauntingly beautiful painting inspired by her close friend Melisse, who chose a medically assisted death after battling Huntington’s disease. Melisse’s final days were a celebration—a chalet in the Quebec forest filled with music, dancing, and ‘luscious food.’ ‘It was awful because we were losing her,’ Philibert recalls, ‘but it was also empowering, beautiful, and intense.’ Her artwork, rendered in cool neutral tones, captures both the joy and heartbreak of that experience.
And this is the part most people miss: The exhibition isn’t just about death—it’s about life, agency, and connection. Take Ottawa artist Jennifer Kershaw’s In Excelsis Doughnut, a glossy still life of doughnuts and ice cream. It’s a playful nod to the hymn Gloria in Excelsis Deo and a tribute to the comfort food people crave at the end of their lives. Kershaw’s grandmother, hospitalized with terminal cancer, longed for a homemade cinnamon-sugar doughnut—a treat her mother had to smuggle in. ‘It’s about reclaiming a sense of control,’ says OAG director Alexandra Badzak, ‘even in the smallest, sweetest ways.’
The exhibition also features an interactive sapling installation where visitors can share their own visions of a ‘good death.’ Over time, the sapling grows into a full tree, its leaves, flowers, and fruits representing the collective responses. But here’s the bold question: Does this normalize death, or does it romanticize it? Is it possible—or even ethical—to turn something so final into a public art project?
With over 100 submissions from nine provinces, the exhibition is as diverse as it is emotional. ‘We laughed, we cried,’ Isenberg admits. ‘Some pieces were literal, others abstract, but all of them forced us to confront our own mortality.’ The jury, comprising curators, scientists, healthcare providers, and caregivers, selected six artworks, including a coffin-shaped sculpture made of found materials and a graphic novel that explores the complexities of end-of-life care.
For Philibert, the takeaway is clear: ‘Death isn’t a horror story. Love your people. Show them you care.’ But what do you think? Is art the right medium to explore such a heavy topic? Does it help or hinder the conversation? Let us know in the comments—this is one discussion that’s just getting started.
The Art of a Good Death runs until January 11, 2026, at the Ottawa Art Gallery (50 Mackenzie King Bridge), before touring other Canadian cities. Don’t miss this thought-provoking exhibition that challenges you to rethink life’s final chapter.
