The How Did You Die? Show

The “How Did You Die?” Show is not a show about death, but very much a show about life. These are not descriptions of literal deaths caused by a heartbreaking bodily disease or a tragic road accident, but are examples of the small, metaphorical deaths that human beings experience each day; the cemetery images merely add a beautiful aesthetic.

“What’s going on?”

Often whispered between two confused looking people, artist and author Lisa-Scarlett Cruji regularly overheard this question in her art tent at the outdoor shows. She would normally only volunteer the succinct, “I travel all over North America and a little beyond, take photos in public cemeteries, and then write a fictional story about how a person died.” This explanation was usually met with satisfied nods and curious expressions.

A great number of very generous visitors told her that they felt these images should appear in book form, allowing for a more comfortable and leisurely read than they were sometimes subjected to at an outdoor show. Rain, soaring humidity, and dense crowds could rather impede the extended reading that The “How Did You Die?” Show required. In this book form, with the reader hopefully far more relaxed and not up against the elements, Ms. Cruji would like to give you an extended introduction to the essence of this show.

Lisa-Scarlett Cruji Lisa-Scarlett Cruji is a mixed media artist and writer originally from Kingston, Ontario. Her first job was as an elevator operator at a discount department store that only had three floors. This should have been seen as an omen.Prior to The “How Did You Die?” Show, Lisa-Scarlett participated in numerous art exhibitions showing miniature watercolours which featured more and more text as the years went on, and wrote and performed two performance pieces, “Waitress Gets Even” and “Every Job I’ve Ever Had Has Sucked”. What has always been consistent is a need to record the emotions of various experiences; her art is a culmination of these writings.Lisa-Scarlett is an avid reader, progressive rock fan, mandolin player and budding luthier. She lives in Vancouver, BC.