Maria Hai-Anh Tuyet Cao Age: 52 Born: 26th August 1951 (Above) First portrait taken 5th December 2003 (Below) Died: 15th February 2004. Photo © Walter Schels.

Exhibition preview: Life Before Death at the Wellcome Collection, London, until Sunday May 18 2008.

This display of black and white photographs seeks to explore the challenging subject of life and death, showing 24 sets of images, one taken shortly before death and one after.

To look at these intimate portraits having no knowledge of the exhibition, you may think these people are merely asleep: without question they are now at peace.

Beate Lakotta, a journalist from Kassel in Germany, and Walter Schels, a photographer from Landshut in Bavaria, spent a year in hospices around Germany which cared for the terminally ill.

Edelgard Clavey Age: 67 Born: 29th June 1936. (Above) First portrait taken: 5th December 2003 (Below) Died: 4th January 2004. Photo © Walter Schels.

Life Before Death. Credit: Walter Schels.

They asked 24 people if they could accompany their last days and weeks, in which they captured the fears, beliefs and desires of these people. Some people were fearful of what would happen next, others were angry and frustrated that their time had come.

Dying is something we will all have to experience at some point in our lives, and yet a subject that people are often uncomfortable talking about. This exhibition reveals the intimate thoughts of people who have had to face up to their imminent fate.

“It has often been observed that modern society has succeeded in making death all but invisible,” explains Dr Ken Arnold, Head of Public Programmes at the Wellcome Trust.

“However, as these remarkable photographic portraits reveal, contemplating the certainty of death can provide beautiful and moving insights into one of the most profound experiences that we all still face.”

Heiner Schmitz Age: 52 Born: 26th November 1951 (Above) First portrait taken 19th November 2003. (Below) Died: 14th December 2003. Photo © Walter Schels.

Life Before Death. Credit: Walter Schels

The photographs are on display as 48, metre high, black and white prints with accompanying explanations and personal insights, as well as descriptions about the context of their palliative care.

“Our motivation for this project was to overcome our own fear of facing up to death. The project goes some way to explore this,” explained Beate Lakotta.

A number of talks and events will be taking place in association with the exhibition. 'On Death', will include an inspiring sequence of testimonies from the dying, and will be taking place on Thursday April 24 from 19.00-20.15, Saturday and Sunday April 27 from 15.00-16.15.

'Walter Schels and Beate Lakotta in Conversation', will take place on Saturday May 10 2008, from 15.00-16.30, in which they will explore their experience of spending time in the hospices and the effect it had on them.

This is an exhibition preview. If you've been to see the show, why not let us know what you think?