KGO-TV in the San Francisco Bay Area has the scoop on SF Supervisor Fiona Ma's proposed ordinance to outlaw art exhibits featuring corpses who, when still living, did not give documented consent to have their dead bodies put on public display. Since the opening of the cutting-edge "Universe Within" exhibit in San Francisco, featuring plasticized, leaking Chinese corpses in action poses, the city's Chinese community - which rightly has strong feelings based on cultural traditions about respecting the bodies of the dead - has been in an uproar.

While I am no fan of political silliness, especially in San Francisco (see here, here, and here), I cannot find it in myself to object to Ma's proposed ordinance.

In fact, my only beef might be that she seems not to be fast-tracking this. She is talking about getting the state legislature involved, though that could take awhile and ultimately lead nowhere. And in truth, this is not exactly a Bakersfield- or Chico-type problem, now is it? Play your cards close to home Supervisor Ma, and play them with purpose, not just for show.

If art exhibits must feature corpses (and this happens more than you might think, these days) there certainly should be documented permissions to use the bodies chosen. Whomsoever might disagree with this is indeed a cold-hearted bastard.

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at June 8, 2005 06:17 PM