Featuring a discussion led by Joanna Ebenstein, co-founder and creative director of the former Morbid Anatomy Museum, we will consider the relatively recent history of death rituals and surrounding beliefs by looking into the Victorian Era.

The Good Death roundtable is a forum that seeks to foster a better relationship with our mortality. Through the exploration of a history of death rituals, an examination of what death looks like presently, and a speculation on our own death and cultural attitudes toward death in the future, we will contemplate death in an effort of preparedness and understanding.

Bethany Tabor

Bethany Tabor is a classically trained ballet dancer-turned-writer and researcher who is persistently exploring themes of death and dying in the realm of performance art. She recently earned her Master’s degree in Performance Studies from New York University where she examined the politics of decomposition as it relates to reenactment and reperformance. She is currently the Technology Programs Manager at Pioneer Works.

Toccarra Thomas

Toccarra Thomas is a Brooklyn-based video​ and performance​ artist and arts programmer. ​She received ​a B.A. in Anthropology and Film Studies​ from Smith College and ​a M.A. in Media Studies at ​The ​New School. A recipient of the Smithsonian Research Training Fellowship (2003) and the Mellon Mays undergraduate Fellowship (2004-2006), ​she has researched and worked in examining cultural arts practices in various parts of the world, including South Africa.​ She co-founded and directed the first iteration of The Unmentionables Film Festival​ (2015) at Maysles Documentary Center in Harlem.

Featuring a discussion led by Joanna Ebenstein, co-founder and creative director of the former Morbid Anatomy Museum, we will consider the relatively recent history of death rituals and surrounding beliefs by looking into the Victorian Era.
About this roundtable series:
The Good Death roundtable is a forum that seeks to foster a better relationship with our mortality. Through the exploration of a history of death rituals, an examination of what death looks like presently, and a speculation on our own death and cultural attitudes toward death in the future, we will contemplate death in an effort of preparedness and understanding.

Bethany Tabor is a classically trained ballet dancer-turned-writer and researcher who is persistently exploring themes of death and dying in the realm of performance art. She recently earned her Master’s degree in Performance Studies from New York University where she examined the politics of decomposition as it relates to reenactment and reperformance. She is currently the Technology Programs Manager at Pioneer Works.

Toccarra Thomas is a Brooklyn-based video​ and performance​ artist and arts programmer. ​She received ​a B.A. in Anthropology and Film Studies​ from Smith College and ​a M.A. in Media Studies at ​The ​New School. A recipient of the Smithsonian Research Training Fellowship (2003) and the Mellon Mays undergraduate Fellowship (2004-2006), ​she has researched and worked in examining cultural arts practices in various parts of the world, including South Africa.​ She co-founded and directed the first iteration of The Unmentionables Film Festival​ (2015) at Maysles Documentary Center in Harlem.

The Good Death Roundtable: A Brief History of Death and Dying