I have been looking at Neimeyer's work about grief, Hoeness Roe and defining documentary animation, (Plus Paul Wells and Paul Ward,)Sarah Pink and visual ethnography, trying to work out methodology(s) for a creative inquiry.
This will be in part an autobiographical work, in addition to documenting and illustrating others experiences of grieving and loss. I am interested in creating a completed piece that surrounds the viewer - a corridor of moving image portraits through which to walk and listen.
If part autobiographical then you should read Depression, I know it isn't grief, per se, and the anthology Loss, with a stunning essay by Judith Butler.
In Sri Lanka the graveyard experience of the grievers is dramatized in some sequences of the Maha Sohona-ritual, the ritual of the graveyard demon. The ritual aimes at healing a patient who grieves to much and is therefore believed to be possessed by the spirit of the one who died. An important part of the ceremony is to remind the patient of her feelings at the graveyard. Patients are being kind of hypnotized by the dance-priest / exorcist at the beginning of the ceremony. The decorations for the ritual include flowers which are used for decorating the cemetary, so that the eyes and nose of the patient are stimulated. Furtheremore the dance rhythm of the exorcists dance has the stumbling rhythm of someone who walks with a funeral-procession in great grievance. A short description with some more details and a short analysis can also be found in my habilitation thesis "Tanz/Ritual - Integrität und das Fremde" (unfortunately in German): http://homepage.univie.ac.at/marianne.nuernberger/Habilitation.pdf, chapter: "Techniken der Konditionierung von Körper/Geist", last paragraph.
I highly recommend the animated film "Waltz with Bashir" it is an amazing portrayal of the Lebanon-Israel experience. It is a powerful film.
Also if you're looking at animation, check out "Persepolis" about Iran.
Especially because of your use of multiple media, I'd recommend looking at Anne Carson's Nox, a stunning poetry/essay collection that meditates both on Greek tragedy and the death of her brother.
Thanks for your answers - Robert can give me a little more information about the anthology?
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