DEADWEIGHT

I was dead for 8 days

In “Deadweight”, I took the responsibility to design my own funeral. This idea came from my habit to always want to take control over anything everywhere I can. But if I’m so determined to take control over everything, I should take control over EVERYTHING. And so I started what would be the very last thing I would ever design: my death.

I decided on a date on which I would die: 18.3.2025.

It was around the 20th of February so I had less than a month to prepare everything.

Funeral Card

A funeral announcement poster with a black-and-white photo of a young man sitting at a table surrounded by medical supplies, making a playful gesture with his hands. The poster contains Dutch text, including a message of farewell and details of the funeral service.

A minimalist memorial card with a black cross, a date range from July 17, 2004, to March 18, 2025, and a white background.

After working on the project for some time, my time had come. On March 18th I was working at school until late and my classmates asked me “shouldn’t you be dead by now?” to which I answered, “I got a couple of hours left". As they all left the classroom by 10 PM, I put this invitation in all of their desk drawers.

The Note

Handwritten notes on a lined sheet of paper with some ink smudges and a smudged stain, featuring Dutch text and some crossed out words.

A handwritten letter on a lined notebook page.

As I left the classroom myself, I left this note on my chair. After this, I would be dead.

I didn’t answer any of my classmates messages and wasn’t at school for 8 days.

For some reason, during my drive home I actually got kind of emotional. Not like crying, but I felt very weird and had a sense of relief. All my life I had this fascination of dying at a young age, and I actually sort of turned that into reality.

I got to experience what life after death feels like.

The Coffin

A wooden box with electrical outlets on one side, placed on a table covered with a white cloth, and a plant arrangement on top, set against a plain white background.

A wooden casket with a floral arrangement on top, placed on a draped table against a plain white background.

approx. 40x198x60 cm

Plywood & Acrylic Paint

A memorial or tribute setup featuring a table with a red cloth, lit candles, an open book, and a small box. Behind the table, there is a candelabrum with lit candles and a brick wall. To the left, there is another table covered with white fabric, holding a picture frame, and a mannequin with more items in the background.

The Closed Casket Funeral

March 26th

1 week post-mortem

A vintage black case filled with white candles with red markings, surrounded by lit candles, on a red table with a candelabrum, papers, and a paper flower decoration against a brick wall.

A table with a red tablecloth against a beige brick wall, featuring a silver candelabrum with four lit candles, an open book with a black marker on it, a small piece of paper, and several other papers and items.

A table covered with a red cloth, displaying flyers, a handwritten note, a candle holder, and some decorative items, against a brick wall.

I didn’t tell my teachers about my project, neither did I communicate that I wouldn’t be there to converse about it. Because you know… I was dead. And so I was absent while they visited and graded my work. Absence was my strongest asset in all this.

Music

At my funeral, there was no time for a ceremony. Instead, I made a mix with songs I held dear in combination with my own productions.

I would never want everyone to just be crying over some silly sad songs. Of course, there needs to be time to grieve. But who am I to choose what music to grieve on? I would love my people to have a good time, dance and be able to celebrate my life.

A young man smiling while sitting with a laptop in front of him, wearing a black headband and a beige scarf, in a room with a wooden ceiling and white walls. To the right, a tracklist of music pieces and artists is displayed on a white background.

Gifts

Wreath

A handmade embroidered flower with white petals and green leaves, with a tag that reads 'To The Recently Deceased'.

Crochet Flower

Open spiral notebook with handwritten notes in Dutch, on a white background.

Memorial book full of beautiful messages from my classmates.

Gravestone

Close-up of a concrete wall with the words "F**k you" and "WHT" written or etched into it.

Gravestone with the name Tibor Sander Plantema, birth date July 17, 2004, and death date March 18, 2025, next to a small shovel on a grassy area.

THE AFTERMATH

This was a very special project in which many, but mostly positive emotions rose. Being dead wasn’t so bad. I had a great time actually. Many people at school who didn’t know what I was working on actually thought I was dead. My friends had to convince them I wasn’t so they wouldn’t have a bad day about it.

The most beautiful feedback I’ve gotten is from a friend who lost his best friend to suicide. He told me that once he received the funeral card, he got to experience it all over again. But this time with a smile on his face.