Toktela - Victorian Book Of The Dead

Post-mortem photography is the practice of photographing the recently deceased. Music by Toktela.

Okay I guess it's time to speak about this video I made almost 2 years ago & clear up a few things as there seems to be a lot of misunderstandings in regards to my intentions.

The music on this video was recorded by me and this isn't how I originally intended the music to be. I had already recorded a nice slow sombre respectful sounding string section for this video which I'm sure 99% of viewers would of preferred but the truth is that's not how I felt when preparing this video.
After spending many many hours / days / weeks looking at postmortem photography I decided to record music that represented the way I felt inside, that feeling wasn't necessarily a nice one, that feeling was the music I created for this video.
I'm not going to explain in detail the sounds used to create the music (as I can't remember them) but I can tell you all the sounds used are there for a reason and relate in someway to the subject of the video.

I 100% stand by my decision to use this music & I fully respect the fact that not many will like it. No amount of hatred or abuse will ever change my mind on this subject, as an artist I will always stay true to my own feeling. THE MUSIC ON THIS VIDEO WILL NEVER BE CHANGED.

I have no interest in trying to please the masses, this video was made for me and made the way I wanted it, you're more than welcome to mute it or stop it and go and view some of the other postmortem videos with "nice" music.

As for the flickery video effect that was merely my weak attempt at trying to replicate a late Victorian era film and is something I DO regret, I do agree that it does detract from the beauty of these photos and for that I apologize.

Most importantly I do have a great deal of respect for all of these photos & anyone who disagrees is simply wrong, I find all of them to be beautiful and heartbreaking, I'm sorry if you feel that I have disrespected them as that was certainly not my intention.

Regards

C J B / Toktela 2011



I've been informed that the photos used in this video originate from The Thanatos Archive & Paul Frecker, sorry for not including this infomation earlier but I was unaware of where the photos originated.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Post-mortem
• photography
• death
• deceased
• dead
• children
• memorial
• portraiture
• memento
• mori
• vintage
• photos
• victorian
• infant
• child
• mortality
• disturbing
• taboo
• funeral
• the
• others
• nicole
• kidman
• silent
• film
• toktela
• dark
• experimental
• industrial
• drone
• ambient
• doom

[RachaelnCharlie]

I happen to find this fascinating. The fact that in the Victorian era people had so little money that their last rememberance of their loved ones who passed is through a photograph. If you didn't have a photo in life...you got one in death. Sad, yet fascinating.

[ELECTRICCLOCK]

Modern medicine is a good thing, however it makes people fearful of death.

And I see I am comment 666.

[mrfire3776]

Thanks for leaving a bit of history. People don't understand how different things were at one time.

[odicht]

Very impressive. Actually I really love your music choice, it really seems the only thing that fits to it. Never knew about post-mortem-fotography, its a pity we don't practice it anymore. Thank you for sharing.

[TheSunIsBlack]

i hope you resolve your ideas about this. Death is the common denominator to all life.w/successful life,many transitions are a triumph too

[anatalita0]

Why they are mostly children?

[craigsmithx]

@InnannasRainbow1 I'm with you. This world isn't bad but it is not a nice place.

[craigsmithx]

I felt sad watching this. I want to be at peace with death, I think you've helped me.

[wickedwheezel]

The only thing creepy about this video is the MUSIC... come on...

Rest in peace little angels.

[greaserleo]

creepy!

[montyhades]

Very nice fotos!! Thanks for posting!!

[fi19731]

There is nothing eerie about these photos it's how they wanted to remember them, alot of the children looked really peaceful and just look like they are asleep. I'm very fascinated with these photos.