06 September 2005

Baking 'Human Body Parts'

This post is not for the queasy and those easily repulsed at the sight of gross human body parts.

Over at BBerk's Cafe, an email group of friend Filipino bloggers, I read this email from Polo about a budding artist in Thailand that bakes "human body parts." Initially I thought it was a joke, but reading on, I found out it was for real.

The full story is documented in this link: Thai Artist Bakes Edible 'Body Parts'

The 28-year-old artist, Mr Kittiwat Unarrom, has a masters degree in fine arts, and is the son of parents who are professional bakers. Before you think he's crazy, he says there's a deeper meaning in his works. He wants people to think whether they are consuming food, or food is consuming them.

Good friend BatJay says that there was a similar show called "Body Worlds" in Singapore last year which fetched a record crowd. He said the people behind these are trying to have a similar exhibition in the US but many religious groups are against it.

I think the Thai artist can a strike a good deal with medical schools who want to enrich the teaching of Human Anatomy to medical students. As an alternative to the often nauseating stench of formalin while dissecting cadavers, medical students might now find the subject more interesting, and more enjoyable.

They could always eat the specimens after the exams.

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UPDATE: The post above is featured in this week's Grand Rounds, now on its 50th edition, and is hosted at good friend Joseph's The Corpus Callosum. Be sure to visit and read the world's best medblogs of the week.

15 reactions:

rolly said...

Ugh, I don't think I can eat anything like that, Doc. Makes me feel like a cannibal.

Anonymous said...

Yikes, that makes me feel sooo queasy.

TechySlave said...

yikes!! eating something that looks like your hands? ahh, i dunno what to think but its all in your mind, maybe it taste good, what do you think?

Dr. Emer said...

Tito Rolly: This must be the key to tame your appetite. ;)

Toni: I know what you mean. Double yikes! :)

Rotero: It tastes like pastry according to the Thai artist. :)

Mec said...

err...

i don't think i can get past how the bread looks like... :(

Jotakken said...

This is so gross yuk but can be yummy too. Just close your eyes and take a bite. I think I'll be curious to eat 'em just to find out how it tastes like. If the blood tastes like strawberry, it would be kind of yummy haha.

Dr. Emer said...

Hahahaha, it will be a gastronomic adventure. Mec. :)

Pang-fear factor talaga siya, Kuiipo. Strawberry-taste for blood? Hmmmmm, it will still take a lot of guts to eat that. *LOL*

Anonymous said...

people actually buy these for what? to serve with other appetizers? oh, what human minds! it's interesting though.

E. S. de Montemayor said...

a very appetizing post dr. emer. heheheeh.. they can use those parts for horror films and cannibal movies... and you're right when you said this can be a great substitute for cadavers in medschool (at least it's not as stinky as the real one or as fragile as the imported plastics one.)

psst. good thing the artist haven't thought of sculpting perverse anatomical models. di kaya ng kinky kakes yun... cheers!

E. S. de Montemayor said...

dr emer.. pahabol lng po... imagine if he makes one of those obgyne models like with a strawberry(flavored)cervix topped with tubobavarian abscess cream... mmmm.. that would be the first time na masarap ang STD ano? mmm... jk!

Dr. Emer said...

Spritz: It's not yet for commercial consumption, I think. It usually goes around for artistic exhibits.

Jules: Yikes! Not all will be ready for that kind of experience, I bet!

eye said...

hi doc!

sorry for this reaction, but yikes! really yikes! pero ayos na diet ito, pag ganito lagi ise-serve sa kin, siguradong papayat na ko hahaha!

on another topic, have you tried the bread varities over at 'bread talk'? they're really good, although quite pricey.

Dr. Emer said...

Ok lang, Eye. I love BreadTalk. Especially their HotChicks! :)

Greg P said...

Actually Body Worlds and BodyWorlds2 are touring the US right now.

I saw in Munich a couple of years ago. It's rather strange in many ways, but as a physician I was mainly fascinated by the quality of the dissections.

Dr. Emer said...

That's great news, Greg. 'Looks like this Thai artist is in the leagues of Dr Frank Netter, if you say the dissections are good.