I recently walked through Bodies… The Exhibition. I was a bit hesitant to see the exhibit after learning about the controversy surrounding it. After walking through most* of the exhibit, I can say that I wish I had not paid to see it.
The controversy is due to the murky origins of the bodies. The bodies are from China, and questions have been raised as to whether the bodies were willingly donated.
“None of the people who once inhabited the bodies in Bodies gave their consent to be used this way, and that has made some folks profoundly uneasy. Their doubts are compounded by China's record of human rights abuses, including the harvesting of transplant organs from executed prisoners. “
-Post Gazette October 16th 2009,
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07172/795948-115.stm
The exhibit begins with the skeletal structures, followed by muscular structures, and the nervous system. Then the circulatory system is shown followed by the respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems. The exhibit closes with the “Fetal Gallery”
I had quite a difficult time walking thought the exhibit. I kept wondering where the families of these people are; do they know where they ended up? What about the religious beliefs of these people?
I found some of the dissections and poses distasteful. One display cabinet held what my husband refers to as the slab of breasts. I was greatly upset at the way it was displayed.
At the end of the exhibit is what they label The Fetal Gallery. *I chose to exit the exhibit before the Fetal Gallery. I found the idea of looking at preserved and malformed fetuses quite distasteful.
I am not saying that I cannot see the educational value of a body exhibit. I just think there is a more respectful way to treat the subject matter.
Our bodies are a vessel to hold our essence/mind/soul…what ever you choose to believe in. I think it deserves to be treated with a level of respect. I feel that flaying muscle tissue off the bone and preserving it that way depreciate the dignity of these people.
Link to exhibit site: http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/
Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BODIES..._The_Exhibition
You tube video of the exhibit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kJmypE1DGQ
