Body Worlds Vital
Would you donate your body to science?
Dr. Gunther von Hagens’ Body Worlds Vital is life changing, says curator Dr Angelina Whalley.
“When you walk through the exhibit you look with your personal eyes, and you will look at it differently if you come again years later.”
The exhibition shows the effects our lifestyles have on our bodies by showcasing bodies and organs which have been preserved through a “plastination” process. This process, developed in 1977 by German physician Dr Von Hagens, replaces fats and liquids in the body with plastics. The specimens do not decay or smell.
A similar exhibition in Sydney this year faced controversy as the sourcing of the exhibits was “questionable”. But Dr Whalley says it is important that all 150 specimens for Body Worlds Vital were ethically sourced through their documented donor program.
“From our viewpoint it is absolutely essential to have specimens on display that have voluntarily decided to be part of it,” explains Dr Whalley. “When we started this exhibit, we said that we wanted to democratise anatomy. You also need to have a democratic process behind that.”
Over 90% of donors are from Germany but there have even been donors from Australia. Every donor has their own reasoning for signing up for the program, Dr Whalley says.
“The vast majority really want to do something good and they understand the exhibition is important and highly educational, and that is what they want to support.”
“They want to do something good even beyond their lives.”
Until Mar 31, Sydney Town Hall, 483 George Street, Sydney. $18-$32+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.bodyworldsvital.com
By Allison Hore.
