An Exhibit You All Might Be Interested In

This thing is in NY right now but is probably going to tour the country.

It’s called “Bodies” and they’ve taken a bunch of human bodies, and parts of bodies, and treated them with a polymer so that they can just stand there like rubber dolls. Then they’ve removed certain layers, so for instance, you’ll see a body without any skin, or without skin and muscles but with all the organs, or just showing the gastrointestinal system, or just the muscles and tendons, etc.

It’s a facinating exhibit and, oddly, not grotesque or stomach churning at all.

I found it particularly interesting because of my interest in all the daoist stuff (“so that’s where the kidney’s are, and that’s what the diaphram looks like”). Yeah, I knew where all this stuff was and what it looked like from books, but it’s nothing compared to actually seeing it hanging in a real body.

Two caveats,

This is an exhibit from China. There’s been some accusations that some of these bodies may in fact be from prisoners, though the sponsors claim it’s not the case. A google search will give you articles on the claims and counter claims.

It’s an expensive ticket. About $25 in NY, which pissed me off when I went in but which I thought was worth it when I came out.

Here’s a link to the NYC Exhibit (scroll down the page once you get there):

http://www.southstreetseaport.com/EventsEntertainment/EventCal/