Perspectives Of Humanities - Network Bodies
“To see is to Know” is the slogan of the bodies exhibition advocating the audience to understand themselves by looking at real bodies in plaster. The bodies displayed on the exhibition imposes an identity to influence the spectator. This identity attempts to reflect and educate the viewer into recognizing themselves from a different perspective; however, this attempt to enlighten viewers of the multiple hazardous health issues and their physical appearance is flawed.
Hsuan L Hsu and Martha Lincoln’s opinion on the bodies exhibit is founded on this belief of educating the viewer of their physical health, but this education is tainted. There are many different variables which have to be taken into account before reflecting upon a particular body presented. Most of the bodies in the exhibition attempt to produce “a category of beings who are bearers and exemplars of humanistic qualities and values”; therefore, viewers attending this exhibition fall into an illusion constructed by the exhibition. Some of these illusions can be witnessed in the exhibition of the biker and the basketball player, where their mutilated physical appearance attempts to “educate”, deceive the viewers.
The effects elicited by the exhibition attempts to influence viewers to a healthier life, but due to the bodies sever treatment by the Dalian University, this exhibition is based on a lie. The biker, whose body is propped up onto a bike, is a perfect example of this illusion supported by Lancan’s “analysis of the mirror stage to explain how individuals are formed as subjects by a process of identification with an impersonal structure or system”. His pose and structure attempt to exemplify mundate actions in order to relate to its audience; however, its skeleton structure and other imperfections have been stripped away creating an unrealistic model. The caption in the back interacts with the body by introducing the vast complexity of the body: the biking exercise compliments the intense muscle function; however, this relationship between the body and the audience does not educate but acts as a form of entertainment. This entertainment is driven by the conception of relating quotidian norms in order to connect with the audience, which raises concerns of future effects this exhibition would elicit.
The preconceived notion Von Hages, a curator endorsing the bodies exhibition in London, discusses that “ people who have seen the exhibition have discovered a new respect for their bodies”; however, he does not take into account that these bodies are from a different time period and location; therefore, the bodies shown in the exhibition have not experience or lived a similar life as the audience: juxtaposing a body which, lived with different social norms, does not possess the social standards of today’s society making it impossible to relate.
The educational value intended to influence the audience to be healthier through the juxtaposition between healthy and unhealthy bodies does not appear to have much effect in today’s society. The propaganda of the hazardous detriments from tobacco and other substances are already on displays; therefore, the juxtaposition between lungs “one healthy, the other the dingy color of charcoal, the result of a lifetime of smoking”, from the exhibition, is not convincing enough to justify the educational value of the exhibition. The ideology that witnessing the harmful effects of smoking or other harmful substance does not impact one’s habits. Nowadays, the education of harmful substances such as tobacco does not affect the loyal tobacco consumers; likewise viewers observing the body of the basketball player, who believe “Weak abdominal muscles can lead to injuries throughout the skeletal system. So do you sit ups” attempts to relate to an illusion. Just like the loyal tobacco consumers, where they witness the products harmful effects by the drawings on the cigarette boxes, the spectator also witness the basketball player’s strong abdomen will likely not change their habits.
Conclusion
The bodies exhibition appears to be justified under the impression that its purpose and goal is to educate and help other identify themselves; however, the exhibitions attempts to mirror an image of a physical body in today’s social norm, while using outdated bodies. This attempt to reflect the audience upon the plaster bodies does not appear to plausible due to the shift in cultural background and time; therefore, it is hard to recognize the bodies exhibition as an educational medium. The juxtaposition and quotidian activities portrayed by the bodies does not present as a source of connection between the audience and the art but as an entertainment.
