This is a meditation on the dark and frightful things in life, an exploration of the equal measures of terror and beauty—what art historians call the sublime—to be found in the natural world. It is a reminder that our existence, while short, can still be full and meaningful.

Memento mori is Latin for “remember you die.” It is a concept at least as old as Classical Antiquity and has waxed and waned in popularity in Western art since the Middle Ages. In Christian thought, the memento mori was a reminder that earthly pleasures are fleeting, and an invitation to reflect on the promise of the afterlife. Similarly, in Edgar Allan Poe’s 1845 narrative poem “The Raven,” the titular bird exclaims “Nevermore!” while the narrator broods over the death of his beloved Lenore and gradually descends into madness.

Nik takes inspiration from the natural world and the cycle of life and all their pleasures and terrors. While mainly working with print media such as linocuts and letterpress, for this show they chose to work mostly with ink on illustration board, experimenting with the lines and shapes that a traditional dip pen and a simple brush can make with fluid India ink on a smooth white surface.

As the days grow shorter and the dark of night lingers, let us remember to seize what time we have, and make it count.