Museum receives backlash after Nirvana exhibition claims Kurt Cobain “un-alived himself”

nme.com:

Nirvana exhibition which states that Kurt Cobain “un-alived himself”.Cobain lost his life to suicide on April 4, 1994. He was 27 years old.According to photos posted online from the Museum of Pop Culture exhibit, a placard states that “Kurt Cobain un-alived himself at 27” before it goes on to explain that a host of other artists of the same age also died under tragic circumstances including Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.Another placard also explained the use of the term “un-alive”, stating: “In the digital age, social media influences how online communities engage in discussions, particularly around sensitive topics like mental health.There’s a placard next to it that talks about the social context of “unalive” in how people talk about mental health but this is still stupid pic.twitter.com/iKA30ECUW7— ブランドン (@burandon_sama) August 9, 2024“One example is the term ‘unalive’, which has emerged online to describe death by suicide or homicide.

Users on social media platforms created this term to navigate around algorithms that censor content related to mental health and explicit topics. ‘Unalive’ has sparked constructive conversations, especially among young people, addressing issues such as depression, anxiety, and suicide.“In this exhibition, the Guest Curator has chosen to utilise the term ‘unalive’ as a gesture of respect towards those who have tragically lost their lives due to mental health struggles.