The Controversial Side Of Body Worlds

Gunther Von Hagens has declared himself a science educator, telling The BMJ that he is on a mission to democratize anatomy by putting remains on public display. "Respect is a matter of opinion," he said, but then said that, "With a whole body ... you can never forget that this is a former person."

Still, you'd be hard-pressed to claim that these shows are purely educational. Otherwise, why have dramatic figures like a corpse riding a rearing plastinated horse, or a person with an exposed brain playing chess? Likewise, many "Body Worlds" exhibits come with art, music, and quotes like those from Lebanese-American writer Khalil Gibran. Von Hagens has even whimsically deemed his main workshop the "Plastinarium." Then, there's von Hagens himself, with his ubiquitous black hat, references to Frankenstein, and general business sense (he makes money from his exhibits and selling plastinates, after all).

Ultimately, this means that "Body Worlds" lands in an uncomfortable middle ground between art, business, and science. What is the purpose of this exhibit — to inspire artistic awe, or to educate the public on anatomy? In 2010, Bishop Frederick Henry of Calgary noted just that, saying, "We have crossed the line from education into the realm of entertainment, questionable art and commercial showcases" (via CBC). For Henry, that was reason enough to call the whole thing off. But, for von Hagens and his supporters (including millions of exhibit visitors), that controversial in-between is precisely where they thrive.