Skulls usually make us think about the fragility of existence, the certainty of death and with that, the meaning of life. But in Crystal Skull, the glass skull reminds us neither of life nor death; it leaves us completely indifferent. The display cases are similar to those in a jewellery shop or luxury store, and the skulls are exhibited as if they were precious stones. Slightly smaller in scale than a normal skull, they invite us to move closer. If skulls once seemed to repeat the message, ‘Remember, you will die one day!’, today they are more often associated with the frivolous world of fashion, design and tattoos. The skull no longer challenges the viewer, and frightens us, but tries to break the norm and make a joke of our fear of death. Sherrie Levine seems to be in complete agreement with these new tendencies, and this is why she carried out her umpteenth appropriation, giving the skull a contemporary message: ‘Remember, you will die one day… but in the meantime, live as full a life as possible’.