Anatomy of Fragility – Body Images in Art and Science: Frankfurt’s Examination of the Body Through Art and Science

The human gaze upon its own body—its perception and representation—has undergone constant transformation throughout history. At Frankfurter Kunstverein, the exhibition “Anatomie der Fragilität – Körperbilder in Kunst und Wissenschaft” (Anatomy of Fragility – Body Images in Art and Science), open until 1 March 2026, tells this never-ending story through a captivating narrative. Bringing art and science together to question what it means to be human, the exhibition redefines the concept of “body” by uniting different disciplines and eras.

The exhibition refreshes collective human memory through historical continuity. It begins with the famously idealized body depictions of Archaic Greek art and extends to votive offerings presented in search of healing. Particularly striking are the anatomical wax figures from the 18th century—once considered spectacular scientific achievements—which demonstrate how profound and at times unsettling the desire to explore one’s inner world can be. These rare pieces, on loan from the University of Bologna, form a shocking contrast with the cold marble aesthetics of ancient sculpture.

Medical Futures and Shifting Physicality

One of the exhibition’s most gripping aspects is its collision of cutting-edge science with art. Visitors embark on a virtual journey through the latest medical imaging, wandering inside a beating heart. When placed alongside contemporary artworks by Agnes Questionmark, Yein Lee, and Marshmallow Laser Feast, this technological visuality raises the question “What is the human body?” in an entirely new dimension. The artists express not merely a biological organism, but a transformed sense of physicality, the redefinition of the body, and the search for a “new human image.”

Frankfurter Kunstverein’s programmatic approach views contemporary art and science as equally valid expressions of humanity’s hunger for knowledge and quest for meaning. Prepared in collaboration with prestigious institutions such as Goethe University, the University of Bologna, and the University of Giessen, the exhibition spans human history’s anatomy—from antique objects to modern prosthetic designs (The Alternative Limb Project).

Shared Memory Found in Fragility

“Anatomie der Fragilität” is not merely a visual feast; it is also a space of confrontation with the fragility of our bodies. From the flawless bodies of antiquity to today’s hybrid forms fused with technology, every object represents humanity’s relationship with its own mortality. Held in the historic building of Frankfurter Kunstverein, the exhibition both acquaints the viewer with their biological reality and demonstrates how art can transform that reality into an aesthetic miracle.

Visitor Information:

Venue: Frankfurter Kunstverein (Steinernes Haus am Römerberg)

Dates: Until 1 March 2026

Curators: Franziska Nori, Anita Lavorano, Pia Seifüßl, Angel Moya Garcia

Photo: Cristiano Rizzo, ©Agnes Questionmark, Courtesy: the artist