In dialogue with: The Body as Trace – Diseases that Disappear and Return

25.01.2026, 16:00

With Prof. Dr. med. Bastian Schilling in conversation with Prof. Franziska Nori

In the exhibition Anatomy of Fragility – Images of the Body in Art and Science, the Frankfurter Kunstverein, in cooperation with the University Hospital Frankfurt, presents rare historical objects: moulages from the collection of the Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology at Goethe University Frankfurt. These lifelike wax models of skin diseases and lesions have served medical teaching since the 19th century. They depict real body fragments – bearing all the traces of illness, injury, and individual suffering.

In conversation with Prof. Franziska Nori, Director of the Frankfurter Kunstverein, Prof. Dr. med. Bastian Schilling – as current head of the clinic – will highlight the significance of the collection in today’s medical context. Together, they will discuss the relevance of moulages for contemporary dermatology, diseases once thought defeated that are now re-emerging, and how these fragile objects continue to shape our perception of the vulnerable body.

This thematic guided tour is part of the exhibition’s public program. In front of the artworks themselves, we invite you to join the experts and cooperation partners for an open exchange about what the fragility of the body can mean to us all.

The tour costs €5 plus admission. No registration required. The event will take place in German.

We look forward to welcoming you!