An armadillo, a road, a car, an accident. What’s next in this series of words? I bet you didn’t think it would be ‘diamond’, did you? Well that is what Ohio-based artist Shane Mecklenburger had planned for our four-legged friend as he tragically met his death.

Manufacturing a diamond from the ashes, this creature is now part of an ongoing exhibition questioning how something is valued in today’s world. It is probably the best use of an armadillo since those Dime bar adverts years ago.

On display at London’s Hoxton Art Gallery, the diamond is one of the stars of Memento Mori, an exhibition featuring the work of Nadine Feinson, Beatrice Haines, David Jones, Shane Mecklenburger & Kentaro Yamada. Urging gallery goers to reflect on their own mortal state of being, the original Memento Mori was used to remind people of their mortal state and source of inspiration.

Going down the abstract route, the exhibition interprets the theme in a more modern way – scenes of a tsunami on TV makes you challenge the concept of what it means to be alive. Further with creations including collages, paintings, TV scenes on blue-print paper and hand drawn orbits of ashes your mind is challenged to alter its perceptions.

Have you stopped to think about what life means and how things could change in an instant? Who would’ve thought that one armadillo on his daily stroll could make you take that moment to ponder over life’s questions.

Memento Mori is at the Hoxton Art Gallery from 15th September – 6th October. For more information click here.