Death by Confetti

In Death by Confetti, Depp creates an effervescent vision of the macabre, punctured by humour and often by vivid colours. In many of these works, skulls and skeletons are shown against Pointillist backdrops. Depp’s own homes are filled with images, sculptures and other objects relating to skeletons and skulls, often juxtaposed with other objects to reveal his dark humour. An awareness of the fragility of life underpins his existence. All the more so as he must also navigate the mixed blessings of fame—his distinctive, chiselled features, recognisable from so many billboards, have meant that it is a long time since he managed to enjoy privacy within the hustle and bustle of the everyday streets of the world’s cities.

Instead, he often views life from a distance. This double-edged sword of Depp’s success lies at the heart of these pictures, where adulation and recognition have potentially fatal drawbacks. ‘It looks like they’re celebrating you,’ he has said, ‘but you are choking on the confetti.’ These images are contemporary continuations of the traditional memento mori, reminding us to embrace life while we can, and to value what is merited.