Judy Chicago, How Will I Die? From The End: A Meditation on Death and Extinction, Mortality Series, 2015

Judy Chicago, How Will I Die? From The End: A Meditation on Death and Extinction, Mortality Series, 2015, Kiln-fired glass painted black glass.

Judy Chicago, renowned for challenging taboos through her depictions of birth, is now extending her trailblazing vision to explore death. The End: A Meditation on Death and Extinction is currently on display as part of Herstory exhibition at the New Museum in Manhattan, running until March 3, 2024. Spanning Chicago’s six-decade career, Herstory showcases the artist’s diverse contributions, alongside The City of Ladies, featuring works from over 80 female artists such as Frida Kahlo, Hilma af Klint, Zora Neale Hurston, and more.

In The End: A Meditation on Death and Extinction (2012-18), Chicago explores her own mortality while addressing tragic and ongoing extinction of many other species. The artwork encourages viewers to contemplate their own fate as it is tied to the treatment of other species and the planet and understand the works’ foundation in the feminist principle that justice for women is connected to the need for a global justice that includes the humane treatment of all creatures.