Milwaukee

Stop Bodyworlds ! Treat the human body with dignity! Starting in January, 2008  the Milwaukee Public Museum will presenting “Body worlds   The Anatomical Exhibition of Real human Bodies.”  What is it? 200 specimens that have been sliced, diced, freeze dried, coated in plastic. There is just one problem. They are not “specimens.” They are human bodies.

This exhibit shows profound disrespect for the human body and condition.  I urge the Museum to reconsider its having the exhibit in light of this. I saw the exhibit in Cleveland in 2005, and have been uneasy about it ever since.  The macabre process is definitely fascinating.   However, just because something can be done does not mean it should be done.  The fact the people have donated their bodies is irrelevant. They have surrendered their right to privacy, but it is not in their power to surrender their right to dignity.  It is incumbent on us the living to treat the dead with dignity, no matter what the “subjects” may have intended or authorized.  It is our moral duty to treat the dead with dignity and it is our right to expect our remains to be treated the same way. Certainly, there is nothing dignified in dying. But ut of respect to the deceased and to ourselves  we should treat the bodies of the deceased with respect. Using real bodies to sell tickets and bring in the crowds does  not strike me as respectful

This exhibit has a veneer of science, or even pseudo-science about it. In fact this is just a cover for a display of technical virtuosity.  This so-called scientific purpose cannot hide the fact of an unmerciful assault on the dignity of the dead.  The dead cannot thank us for treating their bodies with dignity; this does not absolve us of the responsibility to do so.

The exhibit contains a lot of lightly veiled propaganda to justify itself, and to convince people to donate their bodies to the cause.  The exhibit is more about show business and about money, than about science.  If it was about science, should not the countervailing view be mentioned?  I did not see any sign that the exhibit might be questionable in Cleveland.  This exhibit could have been virtually identical without using actual bodies.  Since this is the case, the use of bodies adds nothing but sensationalism. This is the crux of my argument.  The unnecessary use of bodies is a desecration, and means the exhibit is actually about the process of preserving and displaying.  Any claim that the exhibit is about health or education is fraudulent. In fact the claims that seeing the exhibit will stop people form smoking and overeating are laughable.

I call on Milwaukee Public Museum members as well as the general public to ask the leadership of the Museum to reconsider giving a home to this travesty. Please contact the Museum to make your views known.  We need to demand that our leading institutions pay heed, and not just lip service, to the ethical implications of their work, or their exhibits.

It is wonderful that permission appears to have been obtained for the use of the bodies from the deceased, however, no one can give you permission to do something that is wrong. Shame on the museum for hiding behind the permission of the deceased.

The discussion of what is wrong with the exhibit   continues...

Aaron Ginsburg   Sharon, Massachusetts.     May 2007