'Body Worlds' is fascinating, but divorced from reality of death

Minneapolis Star Tribune ^ | 5/11/06 | Katherine Kersten

[rhema]

It's easy to see why the Science Museum's new show -- "Body Worlds: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies" -- is drawing record crowds. The "plastinated" human cadavers and body parts produce gasps of wonder at the body's intricate complexity. . . .

As I walked through the show this week, I could see how visitors might find its "whole-body specimens" beautiful in a strange way. They are lean and vigorous -- physically perfect in a way few museum-goers seemed to be. Many of the "plastinates" draw double takes: the female archer, who looks like the goddess of the hunt, but with her skull sliced open and her brain perched on top, or the child in the "blood vessel family," sitting astride its father's shoulders and holding two jaunty thumbs up.

"Body Worlds" may be informative. But it is also unsettling.

The exhibit promises visitors "authenticity" and the chance to make a "personal break" with outmoded taboos surrounding death. The truth, however, is that death devastates us, bringing anguish and loss or unbearable pain.

Not so at "Body Worlds." There, death is clean and shiny and odor-free. This is Disney World death, with all the fear, ugliness and agony removed.

. . . < snip >

Scientific materialism has traditionally rebutted those who believe in an immortal soul. It instructs modern man that he is just an assemblage of chemicals, and that his existence will end with death. Now Von Hagens-ism tells us that we needn't return to dust, after all. There's a new eternity: plastination! With his novel elixir of life, Von Hagens promises, we can "outlast the Pharoahs."

After a trip to "Body Worlds", however, most visitors will sense that answers to our quest for immortality are to be found elsewhere.

[kinoxi]

arrogance no longer has to die with you...

[martin_fierro]

The "plastinated" human cadavers

This plastinated colon came from a really, really large donor.

[kinoxi]

funny :)

[sockmonkey]

Okay, I went to the official Body World Website, and am now officially grossed out at the pics..

[Dallas59]

Did Elton John die????

[camle]

the word "gruesome" comes to mind...

"soylent green is made out of people!"

[xsmommy]

how do we know the colon is big? maybe that is just a tiny guy with a tiny dog...?

[PUGACHEV]

I went to a similar exhibition in NYC last month, and learned that it was one of several such anatomy shows visiting various cities. I noticed that all of the bodies were oriental males, with the exception of oriental two females. The bodies appeared to be in their mid-twenties at death, and were all well nourished, with no obvious signs of disease or trauma. Oddly, though, all of the bodies had bad teeth, not decayed, but crooked, which I took as evidence that these people had been poor, perhaps rural, and without access to cosmetic dentistry.

The mystery deepened when I went to Google to see if I could find out who these people were and where they had come from. I learned, as I expected, that they they were from China, but I was surprised to find that they were all prepared for exhibition at a certain factory in China which specializes in plastinating bodies. A little more Googling, and it appeared that the factory was surrounded by three Chinese labor camps.

[Katya]

I'd love to go see this....

[small voice in the wilderness]

My husband went yesterday to see it in Houston. He said is was fascinating, but was very surprised to see the numbers of school kids there at the exhibit, especially the younger ones, who he estimated were around 7 years old.

[martin_fierro]

* s l a p *

[reagandemocrat]

"Dr." von Hagens is one sick bastard.

He admits that 'some' of his cadavers might be executed Chinese prisoners.

The plastinated pregnant mother with her exposed womb revealing her plasinated baby--- is criminal.

RD

[Caleb1411]

I went to a similar exhibition in NYC last month, and learned that it was one of several such anatomy shows visiting various cities. I noticed that all of the bodies were oriental males, with the exception of oriental two females. The bodies appeared to be in their mid-twenties at death, and were all well nourished, with no obvious signs of disease or trauma. Oddly, though, all of the bodies had bad teeth, not decayed, but crooked, which I took as evidence that these people had been poor, perhaps rural, and without access to cosmetic dentistry.

The mystery deepened when I went to Google to see if I could find out who these people were and where they had come from. I learned, as I expected, that they they were from China, but I was surprised to find that they were all prepared for exhibition at a certain factory in China which specializes in plastinating bodies. A little more Googling, and it appeared that the factory was surrounded by three Chinese labor camps.

Life seems to be a pretty cheap commodity to the plastinators.

[Caleb1411]

"Dr." von Hagens is one sick bastard. He admits that 'some' of his cadavers might be executed Chinese prisoners. The plastinated pregnant mother with her exposed womb revealing her plasinated baby--- is criminal.

He and Joe Tiller would get along famously.

[Marie]

I'm considered quite open-minded about death, but I'm sorry. Everything in my being is repulsed by this. (And this comes from the chick who wants her organs donated, her skull preserved, and the rest of her cremated and turned into diamonds.)

[martine hamtits]

open your minds! The sole puropose of Dr von hagens is not to entertain but to educate! You can learn more about your own body in two hours at body worlds than in 5 years studying medicine at university. The displays are fantastic, insightful, informative and above all perfectly legal. Von hagens is the only anatomist who has had the courage to teach lay people about their own bodies- knowledge which is usually only confined to hospitals.
If u get the chance go and see Body Worlds- u will be suprised!