Bodies The Exhibition in New York
A Fascinating and Unique View of the Human Body
A review of the must see exhibit showcasing real human bodies like you've never seen them before
If you believe beauty is only skin-deep, you should see what’s under the skin. “To see is to know” the theme behind the brilliant Bodies- The Exhibition currently on display at the South Street Seaport Exhibition Centre in New York City and other cities worldwide, says it all.
We all have a body, but most of us have never seen the inside and examined our inner workings. This exhibit unlocks those mysteries and allows you to see first hand how our muscles, organs and skeletons work.
Not for the squeamish, Bodies displays real human bodies preserved in immaculate condition posed, dissected and positioned so you can see everything. Dimly lit rooms spotlight the figures and each space is classified according to our various systems such as the central nervous system and the skeletal system.
Examining the bodies without their skin, you see just how each muscle works from the inside to allow us to move in a variety of ways from running with a football to shooting a basketball.
Real Human Bodies
In the introductory room, you first see two upright figures holding hands and leaning back like schoolchildren at play. Closer examination shows that one figure is a skeleton while the other is made from flesh, with the skin removed. You soon figure out that these two beings are not two individuals but rather the same person – the skeleton outside the flesh. Just as both figures would topple over should they let go hands, this exhibit portrays the interdependence of our body’s different systems that must work together to keep us balanced.
One of the most eerie yet beautiful exhibits is the circulatory system display. Through a process called corrosion casting, the blood vessels were injected with a coloured polymer, which then hardens. Once the skin, tissue and bone are chemically removed, you’re left with the colourful art-like remains of the veins and arteries. Entering the darkened room, you first see the outlines of two glowing red legs suspended in a glass case. Striking a remarkable resemblance to sea coral, these legs look like delicate sculptures more than the actual veins from a human leg.
While the exhibit is both breathtakingly beautiful and tastefully constructed, it is also educational and informative. Some exhibits cause you to stop and reflect while others, such as the exhibit filled with infants and foetus specimens, may disturb you. Children should be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Towards the end of the exhibit, you enter a red room depicting how our bodies break down and disease and toxins effect and destroys us. It can be quite shocking to see how some cancers and strange diseases such as teratoms, a rare tumour that causes skin, teeth and hair to develop in the ovaries, overpower our bodies and affect us.
Any smoker looking for a good reason to quit must spend some time examining a blackened pair of lungs filled with cancer. Should this exhibit provoke you to drop the habit, a vat located next to the exit collects cigarettes packs.
So the next time you see some cutie dancing next to you, remember there’s more packed into those jeans than you ever imagined.
Final Note
While in New York, schedule a visit to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and see the external beauty our bodies can create.
