originally published 12/1/2007

A controversial series of exhibits called Body Worlds features cadavers and body parts preserved by Gunther von Hagen through a process he calls “plastination.” The exhibits aim to educate viewers about the mechanics of human anatomy in a sanitized and entertaining way. Art critic Michael J. Lewis explores the effects of such an exhibit on the moral imagination of the viewer, who encounters these bodies and body parts in a mechanistic way in which all meaning and moral context is effaced. Lewis argues that our moral “squeamishness” about Body Worlds should not be overcome but should instead be a signal that reverence for human bodies, whether alive or dead, is natural and right. In the second part of this interview, Lewis gives a fascinating brief history of the way that the human body has been portrayed throughout Western art.

This interview was first published on Volume 88 of the Journal. It is part of a series of Archive Features on the human body that were produced in late October 2024. On the Archive Features page, sort the order by “Newest features first” to find this group of features.

26 minutes

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