Laid flat on the ground, wrinkled and naked, the body acts as a starting point for this quasi-exhibitionist self-portrait by the Austrian artist Clemens Krauss. It is one of over 100 works in the exhibition "The Inner Skin - Art and Shame" currently on display at the Marta museum in Herford.

The human body plays an important role in the work of British artist John Isaacs. The position of the feet can be interpreted as a standard reaction to an embarrassing situation: one foot is folded over the other as if covering the shame itself.

"I want people to think about what is going on right now" says Swiss artist Miriam Cahn of her work "Mare Nostrum," which addresses operations to rescue refugees crossing the Mediterranean sea. Who should be embarrassed in this situation: those depicted in the work due to their defenseless state, or the viewer due to their inability to do anything about it?

This picture is taken from a series by American photographer Bruce Gilden called "Faces." In this series of haunting portraits, Gilden shines a light on shame-inducing images that society prefers to ignore. This picture, for example, shows the pimpled face of a hormonal teenager.

The artist Julian Rosenfeldt depicts a world free of social norms and shame in his film "Deep Gold." As if in a dream, the protagonist moves through the war-marked city of Berlin of the 1920s. People are naked; some urinate on the sidewalk and others are shot for no particular reason. The work is inspired by Luis Buñuel's classic film, "L'Âge d'Or."

British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood lays in a seductive pose. Although UK-based photographer Juergen Teller had already photographed many well-known figures, many in the nude, he admitted he was "dead nervous" to depict the famous fashion icon. The inspiration for the work was the scandalous piece "Olympia" by French painter Édouard Manet.

Is the skin glowing with shame? The work of Austrian artist UIrike Lienbacher deals with people and their relationship to society: the rules and requirements, demands, desires and fears. This relationship is reflected in the body, which is depicted in an anonymous and fragmented manner.

The ambivalence of the feeling of shame is also depicted in the work of American artist Jamie Isenstein. "The Eyehole" gives the viewer a voyeuristic look through a keyhole without providing a clue as to what they might find. Who should be more embarrassed: the person observing in secrecy or the person being watched?

A figure on an overturned tin basin hides under a blanket in front of the viewer. Only the naked feet and legs are exposed. Is it meant to be humorous or is it rather a figure hiding in shame? Such ambiguity is typical of the work of this Belgian artist.

According to Austrian artist Erwin Wurm, one must be able to laugh at oneself. He gained fame for his "One Minute Sculptures," for which he randomly selected people and asked them to take an absurd position for one minute. Are the works embarrassing or just plain funny?