There is quite a bit of angst regarding the exhibits here in the US. The exhibit we went to almost didn’t open because there injunctions filed to stop it.

Oh trust me, I’m not signing any plastination forms til I’ve sorted out exactly what happens in every conceivable situation.

I saw the exhibit years ago in Germany. Back then almost no one knew about it and nobody made a fuss. I’ve noticed over the years that all that has changed. While the exhibit moved through Europe the outrage grew. I never understood that. People found it was a disgrace to treat dead bodies like that. Perhaps Americans are less fussy about that. Here death is still a big taboo. I suspect the exhibit you saw was differet. Mine had quite a lot of women (even slices of fat thighs), but perhaps my recollection is just wrong.

I must admit that seeing the plastinated pregnant woman (with plastinated foetus) was quite hard on me. Not the fact that she was exhibited, but the thought that she was a living person carrying life inside her when she died. That just made me very sad.

There was also a line of foetuses at different stages of development. That was amazing. I know what you read about people not knowing anything about their bodies, but this was totally new to me. Soooo small.

Anyway. I see I’ve been rambling again. Just one more thought on the plastination donation. I guess you’re not about to die anytime soon. I’m not sure people will still be interested in that in a few decades and the way things are going I’m sure the world is designing quick and efficiënt ways to get rid of bodies. Medical and forensic students on the other hand. I guess they think “the more the better”, so think carefully before you fill out any forms .

Right on regarding giving kids good answers to their questions.

I read SO MUCH of what you write over at BlogHer and I just absolutely love it. This Body exhibit sounds fascinating. I hope the mom gave an honest answer as well.

When my children ask questions like that, I tell them as much as they want to know. And the truth about it. Why would I want to re-do the information and go back and say something else?

So what do you think? Would you go see Bodies or Bodyworld? Surely one (or both) of these have visted your fair (and very large) city… Would you take your son?

I refused to take biology because there is no way I’d ever disect something. Never, ever… it would bother me first off that this had been a real, live critter.

I managed to get past needles and such because of my youngun… and body parts won’t make me squeamish, it’s real live dead (yeah, I know) bodies that would send me for a loop. Think I saw one once in Boston, and well… move along.

I also don’t generally like it when people touch art/artifacts without proper protection because I’ve seen how it can damage the art over time. There are reasons why you aren’t supposed to touch it. I do understand the temptation though. Especially since I got kinda used to handling artifacts in university.

But it would bother me far less if someone touched a Monet than if they touched these displays.

TW is a toucher – if she touched she didn’t tell me. And she didn’t walk with me and Michelle, she walked ahead by herself as she often does in museums.

I don’t think you should ever touch art unless you are invited to do so by the owner of the art or the gallery showing the art. There are significant reasons not to touch – and in this case, it felt disrespectful to me even more than touching a Dali or a Monet. Maybe ’cause I don’t want people to touch me while I’m alive unless I give the ok, lol.

I’ve gone back and forth on the art and artfully displayed thing. It didn’t feel like art to me, it felt like a science museum exhibit not an art museum exhibit. Yes bodies are art, but the display didn’t lend itself to that feeling for me. Bodyworlds might be a better display for that. I’d like to see it to compare.