McQueen has explained that each skull in the series is surrounded by symbolic imagery drawn from nature and Eastern iconography, including dragons, koi fish, frogs, dragonflies, and botanical forms. Each work is color-coded and composed to embody one of the four elemental forces that ancient cultures believed formed the foundation of all matter. 

What makes the series particularly interesting is that it is not really about death. While the skull is the central motif, McQueen uses it as a contemporary version of the historical Vanitas tradition—a reminder of mortality, the passage of time, and the fragility of life. He often speaks about finding beauty in subjects that are simultaneously mystical, romantic, and macabre. 

The influence of the McQueen family legacy is also evident. Alexander McQueen frequently used skulls as symbols of mortality, transformation, and beauty. Gary inherited that visual language but evolved it through digital sculpture, lenticular technology, and layered storytelling. His works often transform as the viewer moves, creating the sensation that the image is alive and changing.