Artist In Residence

My name is Claire Phillips-Callender, I am staring down the barrel of 60.

I have earned my living for 20 years as a ceremonial undertaker at The Green Funeral Company which I co-created.

I am part of the team building The People’s Pyramid, Callender Phillips, Cauty and Drummond, Undertakers To The Underworld https://www.mumufication.com

Before that I lived and bummed around on a sailing boat in the 90’s.

Before that I worked at Mute Records in the 80’s.

Before that I was a rural punk in the 70’s, which is a lonely path.

I have raised 2 daughters to the ages of 24 and 26, I wish i could say without police intervention but that would be a lie.

I once had a solid oak floor, a Belfast sink and a husband.

As my mum got older and more infirm I often thought about and planned her funeral. We were both robbed of it by Covid.

I wrote and made this monologue about how this felt.

Lucinda Guy and I made a soundscape that was broadcast on Soundart Radio

As an undertaker I often idly write eulogies for my friends in my head, I don’t tell them because I suspect they would think it weird.