Whoa. Weird.

Last night I went to the Bodyworlds exhibit at the Franklin Institute. Aside from it being absolutely fascinating to be able to see the interior of actual humans, there was a lot to think about in other respects.

First, the artistic license of Gunther von Hagens, the guy who does the plastination of the bodies is interesting. The various ways that he creates exploded views of the bodies is something-- there is clearly a measure of artisitic interpretation in the way that he has chosen to put together exploded views of various individuals. Some of the displays-- the hurdler, the soccer goalie (diving to his right for the ball while his vicera is held upright in his extended left hand, as if when he dove it remained in place while the musclature did the work), the gymnast. There was neuron-skeleton with just the bone and nerves, there was circulatory person, where the circulatory system was all that was left, having been filled with some type of reddish laquer and the body blasted away from it. Torsos and heads split in any number of ways to expose the actual inner organs.

Fascinating, but a little disturbing. I've got to think about it some more, but I admit to leaving and feeling a little queasy.