Saturday, November 21, 2009

250 Bodies Are Being Exhibited At West End In Dallas

For awhile now, every morning when I check in on the Dallas Morning News I see an ad about bodies being revealed at some exhibit at the West End in downtown Dallas. The pictures in the ads seem a bit creepy to me. But I paid no further attention.

Til this morning when I saw the headline of an article about "Bodies: The Exhibition" opening this weekend.

Here's a blurb from the article...

"Featuring more than 250 real human specimens consisting of whole-bodies and individual organs that have been meticulously dissected and preserved through an innovative process, the Exhibition provides visitors an up-close look inside the skeletal, muscular, reproductive, respiratory, circulatory and other systems of the human body."

Okay, am I understanding this correctly? These are real bodies being exhibited? Including the reproductive system? Preserved by some innovative process?

The Bodies are touring the country. And other countries. Here's a blurb from about the Bodies when they were in New York City....

"Both captivating and edifying, Bodies ...The Exhibition- New York, NY unveils the many complex systems, organs and tissues that drive every aspect of our daily lives and unite us all as Humans. Featuring over 200 specimens consisting of whole-bodies and individual organs that have been meticulously dissected and preserved through an innovative process, Bodies ...The Exhibition will enlighten, empower, fascinate and inspire."

So, an additional 50 real human specimens were added between New York and Dallas. Where do these bodies come from? Are the bodies identified? As in "This is Bob Smith's Reproductive System." Are these the bodies of people who willed their bodies to science?

I'm likely way off base here, but it all just seems unseemly to me.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

A lot of controversy over these exhibitions. One the one hand - they draw people in to view and learn, in spite of the 'car crash' they seem to be. On the other hand I understand they are from China and the bodies on display may not have had any say in the use of their 'mortal vessel' after life had left.

I wonder what the religious right will say about this in DFW...

Cheap Tricks and Costly Truths said...

We don't care...

Durango said...

CT2----
Who is "We". And what is it we are not caring about??

Cheap Tricks and Costly Truths said...

Oh, I was being a tart and speaking for the religious right...I was thinking that they really don't care about the exhibit, seeing they got to get ready for 2012 and all, ya know the coming Anti-Christ and that sorta thing. I really don't think they're all that concerned with body art, er ...art made of bodies.

Durango said...

CT2--
You're funny when you're being a tart.