For the exhibition, the restored coffin fittings factory, now an award-winning museum, has been working with ladies from the local community Ladywood Project and artist Sarah Millin to create an exhibition of crazy coffin designs.

Lorraine Kenny from Birmingham Conservation Trust, the charity behind the restoration of the factory who runs the museum says, “It might come as a surprise when you consider the subject matter, but the whole project has been so much fun! It has been great working with artist Sarah Millin over six weeks and seeing the beautiful coffins which she has helped us to design and build. The work really captures the essence of the project which is about celebrating our own uniqueness and character, and how we would want the world to remember us.”

Ursula Williams from Crazy Coffins adds, “How delighted we are to join forces with the Coffin Works in this exhibition. The factory museum shows us the conservative world of the funeral trade, rooted in Victorian traditions, whereas the exhibition invites us to consider the possibilities of a coffin in expressing the life-long enthusiasms of an individual, and how it can be an affectionate and even humorous focus of a farewell ceremony.”

Gerardine Giblin, Community Social Worker at the Ladywood Project, says, “Members of the Ladywood community project group have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in this art project with the Coffin Works. It is a very interesting place to visit. It prompted a great deal of discussion about how we would like to be remembered and the things that are important to us. Everyone in the group found their creative side too”.