BodyWorlds 4 Exhibition

When this exhibition first came to Manchester I was in two minds to go see it. Gripped between an attraction to see something new and "controversial" and wondering whether I'd have the stomach for it.

I had read and seen many articles and TV clips of Professor Gunther von Hagens' pioneering work on plastination - halting decomposition and allowing human bodies to be preserved for medical studies and was always intrigued by it.

It was all impressive to the layman and to be honest a little morbid too. Obviously themes about death always seem to twang our mortality chords and it's not something many people fancy thinking about, letting alone surrounding themselves by it.

But death isn't the theme of this work and whether you believe in an after-life or not, you should definitely check it out.

Rather than pondering the big question of "What does it all mean?" etc, I found myself being amazed by the way we're formed -each specimen on display is arranged to show how our body dynamics operate, from the guitar player attempting a lick, to the "soccer" players leaping in the air kicking a ball. I began looking at these models like a mechanic views a car engine.

I was assured that every exhibit had, prior to his/her death, consented to allowing their body to be used for medical and scientific study. This point was underlined throughout this tour - in fact, at the end of the exhibit you can even sign up to allow your own body to be used as a canvass of human questioning and reasoning.

I declined, perhaps influenced by my own semi-religious upbringing of allowing one to return to nature etc.

But I will say, that it is thanks to exhibits like this that we gain a greater understanding about how we move, how we operate, how we are constructed and made, how our systems operate, how diseases devastate us and how we can cure them.

I'm personally going to stear clear of tackling any moral issues brought up by Professor von Hagens' work but judging by the popularity of his work amongst all sectors of society, we cannot ignore that it is important nonetheless.

This is something we should be exposed to from time to time - something to hold up a mirror to "what" we are ("who" we are is a topic theologians and philosophers are busy tackling).

I came away understanding my own body a little better and how I could improve it - it's limitations as well as it's ability to perform outside of them too.

BodyWorlds 4 Exhibition will be featured at the Museum of Science and Industry until the 17th August.

open late Thursday to Saturday until 9pm (last entry 8pm)
Tickets now available to buy online or Tel: 0871 231 0847
Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

Visit http://www.mosi.org.uk/whats-on/body-worlds-4 for further info.