WHAT IS MEMENTO MORI?
“Memento Mori” is a Latin phrase meaning “remember that you must die.”
But remembering death can also be a way of remembering how precious life is.
In Japan, death has long been woven into everyday culture through ancestor remembrance, Obon, memorial rituals, Buddhist thought, the appreciation of impermanence, and the aesthetics of wabi-sabi.
Memento Mori in NYC brings these perspectives into conversation with contemporary art and the diverse ways New Yorkers think about life, death, memory, and what comes after.
Rather than telling people what to believe, we invite everyone to explore their own questions.
To remember death is, in a way,
to remember how we want to live.
WHY NYC
New York is a city where different cultures, beliefs, and ways of living meet.
It is also home to a growing conversation around death, end-of-life care, death literacy, and the Death Positive movement.
We wanted to bring Japanese perspectives on life and death into this diverse conversation — and see what happens when different cultures meet.
ORGANIZERS
YOMI International
Founder & CEO:
Masumi Murata
YOMI International explores new ways of thinking about death, remembrance, and life through culture, technology, and end-of-life experiences.
Presented by
YOMI International
Co-hosted by
Death Fes & IVORY
Death Fes
Founder:
Nozomi Ichikawa & Rina Ono
A Japanese organization creating a culture where people can talk openly about death and explore well-being in both life and death.
IVORY
Founder & CEO:
Shoko Fujiwara
A social-impact company working across community building, women's empowerment, and international collaboration.