Photographing the dead is not new–in the last century, it was quite common–but people do find the idea rather strange. Many people today don’t know what a dead person looks like. In modern society we are separated from the event of death: somebody becomes ill and goes into hospital, and then t…
Dead Faces
Rudolf Schäfer
Translated by Piers Spence
‘These pictures show what will surely become of us all one day’
40 years of Granta

The Silkworms
Nothing to see here!

Peace Shall Destroy Many
What made him do what he did? Could it have all been for an ice cream bar, really? Will any of us ever know?

Blue Sky Days
What made him do what he did? Could it have all been for an ice cream bar, really? Will any of us ever know?

Vladimir in Love
What made him do what he did? Could it have all been for an ice cream bar, really? Will any of us ever know?

The Transition
What made him do what he did? Could it have all been for an ice cream bar, really? Will any of us ever know? What made him do what he did? Could it have all been for an ice cream bar, really? Will any of us ever know?
Rudolf Schäfer
Rudolf Schäfer’s photographs are in the Saatchi Collection. He contributed the photo essay 'Dead Faces' to Granta 27: Death.
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