Slice of Life

Is the study and exhibit of human bodies morbid? If you would take your children to see the ubiquitous plastic "Invisible Man" exhibit at your local science museum, why would you have a qualm about showing them the real deal?

Salon recently had an article about the U.S. tour of Gunther von Hagens' Body Worlds, wherein real human corpses are plastinated, dissected, posed, and displayed to the public.

Frankly, I think it's cool. Admittedly, the idea induced the willies in me when I first read about Gunther von Hagens and his original museum in one of Rick Steves' travel books. But, having seen some of the examples of the exhibit on the web, I can say that I think it's really fascinating. Of course, Salon pointed out that one of the knock-off Chinese exhibits might be a little creaky, leaky and down-right sneaky (Look, mommy, there's a bullet hole in that man's head!), and you can't help but imagine Vincent Price or Lon Chaney lurking somewhere just out of sight. I mean, Herr von Hagens is slightly creepy himself.

Compare for yourself:

Creepy, but not surprising. It takes a bit of a twist of mind to come up with a process like plastination, after all. (More interesting info on the good doctor can be found at Wikipedia and nndb).

But, all well and good, I say. Many Americans spend most of their lives in dread fear of death. We like to childishly pretend it doesn't happen (We'll live forever in heaven!), we go to funerals and try to pretend we've just stepped into the deceased's bedroom (The mortician did such a good job. Grandpa looks like he's asleep.), we litigate and moralize against risky activity, and we tell our children elaborate lies to cover up truth about death.

Nothing like a flayed dead man holding out his own skin to you to shake your belief structures.

Speaking of flayed skin and creepy men, one of my all-time favorite websites is The HiStory of Michael Jackson's Face. Enjoy.