A one-day live exhibition and discussion titled The Muscular Body As Living Art will take place at the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale’s Horvitz Auditorium and outdoor Sculpture Terrace on July 9. The event is inspired by the Whitney Museum of American Art’s 1976 live exhibition titled The Body as Art, which featured Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane and Ed Corney.

The July 9 event is presented by the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale, Nova Southeastern University and the 2009 NPC Southern States Fitness, Figure, Bikini & Bodybuilding Championships.

Ellie Rodriguez, the entertainment reporter for WSVN’s Deco Drive, will host. Faculty will discuss male and female muscular body images throughout history, from sculpture to pop art. During the discussion, NPC bodybuilding champions will pose as iconic sculptures such as The Thinker, Diana (goddess of the hunt), Hercules and Michelangelo’s David. The audience is invited to participate.

“Artists for centuries have studied the human body, its contours, beauty and power,’’ the museum’s executive director Irvin Lippman said in a statement. “Now, front and center for the first time, and guaranteed to be a one-day blockbuster, we offer you what promises to be an exceptional exhibition of muscular energy.”

For tickets to The Muscular Body as Living Art contact 954-262-0236 or emccrater@moafl.org. Advance tickets are $20 and tickets at the door are $25. For museum members and NSU students and faculty the cost is $15.

Visit MOAFL.org to learn about the museum.