By Sophie Calle, a French conceptual artist, from an interview with Eleanor Wachtel for CBC Radio One that was published in the Winter 2016 issue of Brick. Her work Pas pu saisir la mort (“Couldn’t Catch Death”), a film installation about her mother’s death, was first shown at the 2007 Venice Biennale.

My mother was going to die in the next three months. The doctor was very clear about it. I was told that when somebody dies, it often happens when you step out of the room — then there is the last breath. I wanted to be there. I…