Australian sculptor wants cremated ashes for artwork

SYDNEY - An Australian sculptor has asked people to donate the cremated remains of their relatives for making an “interesting artwork about mortality”.

Peter Booth from Brisbane put an ad in newspaper classifieds seeking ashes for making a sculpture he plans to exhibit in September. The sculpture would be made of resin and ash and would deal with “issues of mortality”, Perth Now reported.

Booth, whose past work includes installations made of twisted washing machines and safes, said he would not try to convince relatives to hand over the ashes.

“I’m not trying to make controversial art - I’m trying to make interesting art. It’s absolutely about mortality.

“If you make the object of cremation ashes, does that give the object more significance or is it still just ashes? My philosophy with art is choose the material that the work is most related to,” he said.

Police said there appeared to be nothing illegal in using ashes for sculpture.

Once a person was properly cremated, their ashes were given to relatives and they could dispose of them as they saw fit, a spokesperson said.