ArtMarket: Artful Resting Places

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Ernest Britton

Are you an artist looking to start a new business for a growing market? Then you might try coffin art. In Asia, artists are already creating such personalized coffins. The Lien Foundation's CEO Lee Poh Wah says, "The traditional negative associations surrounding the coffin were transformed into a celebratory symbol of courage, life and beauty" through art (AARP). This could be a real opportunity for an American artist willing to partner with a major or minor casket company. Last year, American coffin-makers saw their sales decline as more people turned to cremation even as the size of American coffins grew due to obesity, as well as the growing number of aging baby-boomers.  Who said you can't take your art collection with you?