‘Body Worlds 2′ an Interesting Specimen–If You Didn’t See It the First Time

By Kevin Williams, Chicago Tribune

Jan. 25–The second go-round of Gunther von Hagens’ amazing plastinated parts exhibition, “Body Worlds 2,” at the Museum of Science and Industry reduces us all to children who have just had all of our questions answered by a parent. “Why do my knees hurt?”"Why does my back hurt when I ?”"Why does this have to move when you …?”

Answered. As with the first version, more than 200 “plastinated” specimens combine to fill you in on almost any question you’ve ever had about your own (or someone else’s) body, even for those who wonder about the visual effects of terminal constipation. This time around there are 20 new full-body plastinates and an industrial-looking, modernized presentation. Also, 40 percent of the bodies are female, which addresses a complaint that the show’s creators heard during the first edition.

There are other pressing questions, such as, if you’ve seen version one, should you bother? Or if you haven’t, is “Body Worlds 2″ worth $23? In short, no and yes. More about that later.

The thing I wonder is: Why? There you are, standing in a room filled with plastinated (coated body parts) bits–limbs, organs, whole bodies–and the thought has to come to mind. As a wee one, was little Gunther asking his mother for spare critter parts from dinner and flitting off to the local lamination salon? Or does a guy just wake up one day and say, “Hmmm …”?

Just asking, because on its surface, “Body Worlds 2″ is unsettling. If you call it what it is–”laminated cadavers and other body parts”–it’s easy to understand why. Yet we, with almost 800,000 other folks during its 2005 run at the Museum of Science and Industry, were knocked out by the first “Body Worlds.” It was captivating, impressive and vow-inducing because of what it revealed about the way we are assembled. Once you realize that the foot has about 219 tiny bones, you swear, “I’ll never stomp my foot again.”

Some other observations:

What’s old is new: The new version is more of the same. Many of the parts are like old friends that you’re coming back to visit. “Hello, cancerous lung. Hey, spleen. Hiya, plastinated bodybuilder. Have you lost weight?” Our temptation was great to beeline directly for the newbies, but restraint was in order. This is science, after all. There’s the overall sense of how the new bits work with the overall, and how it all comes together.

On the move: The 2005 show had a smoother flow in directing visitors through the space. This version seems looser, with more of a go-as-you-wish quality to it. It’s still organized by body system–locomotive, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, reproductive–but the room feels more open because the displays are simpler. Essentially, you have parts in cases, and whole bodies outside of cases.

In the mood: The first version used whole-body plastinates that were in more natural settings, and more illustrative of the drama of motion. There was a chess player making a move then, instead of “The Ponderer,” a guy just sitting there, thinking now. If you haven’t seen the show before, however, you’ll marvel at the intricacy of the skeletal structure, the way the muscles mesh and how an act as simple as sitting and musing requires so much of you. If you’ve seen it before, you’ll miss the chess player.

Umm … ick: The preservation process makes the specimens appear dull-looking, less human even than the scenes you might see in a TV medical drama. It still might not be for the squeamish, because these are dead folks, after all. But most people probably won’t feel uncomfortable in “Body Worlds 2.” In fact, because there is less attendant hoopla this time (version one spawned protests, and howls from people who wondered how von Hagens got his bodies), that factor is further diminished. No more “Body parts! Boo!”

We are not ghouls: The first time around people were protesting and questioning the morality of “Body Worlds.” This time the mea culpas hit you immediately, coupled with emphasis on the science of the show and finger-pointing at our forebears, who were far more abusive with their dead. Need illustration? How about photos of a family coat of arms made of bones, or a bone chandelier?

Is slick better?: There is more glass and stainless steel this time, and more display cases along walls. Also, each full-body plastinate features a metal signature plaque with the title of the “work” and von Hagens’ signature. In all of this slickness lies a less-engaging presentation. The first version’s displays were in naturalistic settings. Cheesy, but still pretty cool.

Hang on … art?: You betcha. The full-body specimens are, in many cases, arranged in a pose that made you wonder why, such as “X-Lady,” a woman whose legs were crossed in the pose of a big, human “X.” It was cool, but where’s the science? This go-round it felt more like it wanted to be art, an effect counterbalanced by the rows of sterile-looking display cases.

We don’t mean to preach, but . . . : Don’t drink, don’t smoke and take care of yourself, says “Body Worlds,” then as now. Smokers’ lungs are just as horrifying now as they were two years ago, as are the cancerous organs. Yuck. Von Hagens wants you to live long and prosper. But when you die, he has little cards at the exhibition’s conclusion, in case you want to will your body to Plastination. There’s “Body Worlds 3,” after all . . .

Get me marketing!: “Body Worlds 2″ is much more self-aware than the first version. A full-body plastinate of a skier has him riding Plastination brand skis. Von Hagens’ picture is all over the place, and the gift shop you must pass through to exit the show features cheesy T-shirts with slogans such as “skeletons got back,” or “we (picture of an actual heart) Body Worlds.” And the vertebrae backpacks are pretty silly.

The final word: It’s a lesser show than its celebrated predecessor. It feels less dense, more like a Cliff’s Notes version of the first. “Skin Man,” from the first show, was really cool, as were the cyclist and the equestrian rider. These have been replaced by figure skaters and soccer players. But, if you’ve never seen the show, it will blow you away with its inside view of what we are, and how we work.

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Body Worlds 2

When: Hours vary, through March 23

Where: Museum of Science and

Industry, 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive

Price: $12.75-$23; 773-684-1414 or www.msichicago.org

kmwilliams@tribune.com

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Copyright (c) 2007, Chicago Tribune

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.

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