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| K%u0131l%u0131çali Pa%u015Fa Mh., Meclis-i Mebusan Cd 4, 34433 Istanbul/Istanbul Province, Turkey |
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Body Worlds and the Cycle of Life
Body Worlds and the Cycle of Life (formerly Body Worlds: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies) is the controversial creation of Dr. Gunther von Hagens. It is a traveling exhibition of human bodies, parts and organs that have been specially preserved using von Hagen's plastination technique. Plastination is the method of removing bodily fluids and fat from the specimens and replacing them with resins and elastomers to halt decomposition and preserving the remains. It debuted in Tokyo, Japan in 1995 and has since toured around the world. Its intended purpose is to introduce anatomy to the general public and promote better health awareness and knowledge of the human body. Since its debut, Body Worlds and the Brain (Body Worlds 2) and Body Worlds and the Story of the Heart (Body Worlds 3) have also opened, bringing in over 20 million viewers and $200 million dollars between the three exhibits.
The Exhibit
The original Body Worlds opened with 25 human bodies (or plastinates) posed in a variety of positions, as well as individual organs, organ configurations and transparent body slices. In total, more than 200 real human specimens are featured at each exhibit. Only individuals that agreed that their bodies could be used in the exhibit for educational purposes make up the bodies that are on display. The identities, ages and cause of death are not disclosed in the exhibit for privacy concerns.
Controversy
The Body Worlds exhibits have all received their fare share of controversy since the original debuted. There have been cries from various religious organizations over the use of public exhibition of the human corpses, while others have declared the exhibit to be sensationalistic or perpetuating sexual stereotypes. Some cities and states have outright banned the exhibition from coming, including the city of San Francisco, California and the states of Florida and Washington.
Past Exhibitions
After its debut in Tokyo and various other cities in Japan, Body Worlds and the Cycle of Life has moved to Germany (Mannheim, Cologne, Oberhausen, Berlin, Stuttgart, Munich, Hamburg, and Frankfurt) to Vienna, Austria to Bale, Switzerland to Brussels, Belgium to London, Great Britain to the United States, where it has toured Los Angeles, California, Chicago, Illinois, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, St. Paul, Minnesota, Dallas, Texas, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its North American tour wrapped up on October 13, 2008 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and the exhibit moved overseas to London, United Kingdom and Singapore.
Current and Future Exhibitions
Body Worlds and the Cycle of Life is currently on display at the Istanbul Modern Art Museum in Istanbul, Turkey from June 11 through December 17, 2010. There are no future exhibitions scheduled at this time. Please check the Body Worlds site below for more information. |
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Body Worlds
The official site for Body Worlds: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies - the traveling exhibition of human corpses. |
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| Similar Destinations |
| Body Worlds and the Brain |
| Body Worlds and the Story of the Heart |
| Body Worlds 4 |
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| See Also on TheCabinet.com |
| Blog: Body Worlds: The Expedition of Human Cadavers (09/15/08) |
| Blog: Dark Tourism Surveys (04/29/09) |
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| Available from Amazon.com |
Body Worlds: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies |
Body Worlds: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies |
Cemetery Stories: Haunted Graveyards, Embalming Secrets, and the Life of a Corpse After Death |
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers |
Visible Human Body: An Atlas of Sectional Anatomy |
Creativity: Theory, History, Practice |
Pushing the Limits Encounters with Body Worlds Creator Gunther Von Hagens |
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