Bodies the Exhibition New York, Essay Example

A visit to a body exhibition at Bodies the Exhibition New York which is located at 11 Fulton Street New York showcased various anatomical exhibitions that included among others a cadaver of an 8 months pregnant female. The anatomical exhibitions were mostly composed of plastinated bodies. Plastination is a preservation method for bodies akin to embalming where fluids from a body are replaced with polymers that can make the body to be flexible or rigid. This method was pioneered by Günter von Hagen’s in the 70s.

The exhibit is composed of different classifications of the body. There are rooms showcasing the whole body while others are reserved for individual body parts with emphasis on certain parts, organs and structures. The room showcasing the development of the fetus has the fetuses magnified to highlight some of the minute structures to make the visitors experience a fulfilling one. A casual look can send the wrong impression to a visitor who does not pause and reflect for instance, the magnifying factor which is not indicated might fool you into believing that fetuses are actually larger than they are.

A single glance at the lungs of a deceased smoker was enough to promote smoking cessation programs and I felt no individual in his right mind would continue with this awful habit given the unsightly appearance of those lungs. It is said, a single picture is worth a thousand words and I would recommend people to visit these exhibitions to gain first hand information on the actual looks of the human anatomy. After cross examination of this organs and bodies, one is left wondering where on earth these exhibitors gathered their specimen from.

The exhibition consisted of animal plastinated bodies for instance I saw this plastinated camel but I did not pay so much attention to it for I had this huge interest in exploring the human cadavers for the sake of gaining more insight on human biology and anatomy in particular. The labels carried various structures such as organ segments, the human head, muscles; nerves gave invaluable insights regarding these structures. The pregnant woman and some display of pathological obesity were surrounded by some somber atmosphere. The section for fetal development was overwhelmed with a lot of informative material.

There were several presentations of full bodied figures with various postures. One seemed to be running, another seemed to be a fencer and still another seemed to be a football player. There was this human skeleton that sent chills down my spine because it seemed grotesque. There was lots of pointing from various visitors, some seemed horrified by the appearance of smokers lungs.

The audience discussed various issues linking the body parts to evolution and the creation theory as they carried awesome information with them. I felt that there was need for professionals involving nutrition, child care, human body and health such as physical therapists, personal trainers, athletic coaches, school advisers and so on to visit the place for replenishing their knowledge from this inspiring perspective.

There was a historical account of the human anatomy, the origin of plastination and how it is used in body and organ preservation. I also did my own research as to the origins of the plastinated and concluded that apart from donation from willing people, unclaimed bodies were legally acquired from the Chinese authorities.