Gunther von Hagens in Rome
Following the success of previous editions in many cities around the world, this exhibition has landed in Rome. Hagens Body Worlds has contributed substantially to presenting to the public a new active awareness on the issue of donating blood and organs to save other human lives.
All specimens in the exhibition are authentic. They belong to people who have donated their bodies to science. The Institute for Plastination, which Hagens runs already has about 13,000 registered donors.
The main purpose of Body Worlds is health education. On one hand, individual specimens are used to compare healthy organs and diseased ones, such as the lungs of a smoker versus a person who has never smoked, so it emphasizes the importance of healthy living habits. On the other hand, the bodies are in positions that illustrate how we are, naturally fragile in a mechanized world.
Viewers have the opportunity to understand better the human body and its functions, to learn about the nature of our bodies and identify the individuality and anatomical beauty inside of them.
The authenticity of the specimens that is exhibited is essential for our understanding. Every human being is unique and is distinctly different from others, and reveal their individuality not only through the visible outside, but also through the inside of the body. The position, size, shape, structure of the skeleton, muscles, nerves and determine our inner organs. It would be impossible to express that unless these were individual anatomical true models one could interpret them as simplified versions of the real thing. The authenticity of the specimens, however, is fascinating and allows the viewer to experience the wonder of a real human body. The exhibition is dedicated to the inner individual.
The technique by which specimens are preserved is the technique of plastination, developed and patented by Hagens in 1977 at the University of Heidelberg. The first step is to stop decomposition. The body is embalmed with a formalin injection into the arteries. After dissection, all bodily fluids and soluble fatty acids are extracted and replaced when placed in a vacuum chamber with reactive resins and Elastoplast such as silicone rubber or epoxy. then light , heat or certain gases are applied. The result is a plastinated specimen with rigidity and permanence. Dr. von Hagens is still investigating to improve this technique.
Hagens is not only a peculiar person, but also a challenging, controversial and provocative one. His exhibitions have been controversial both due to the nature that he shows as to the charges which he has to face due to the uncertain origin of the bodies he has received for this exhibition. In 2002, he broadcasted live in the United Kingdom an autopsy. English law strictly prohibits the live broadcast of this type of intervention.
For more information visit the website: http://www.bodyworlds.com/it/roma.html.
Ara
In the words of Hagens, this exhibition returns to Rome and is a true homecoming, as the tradition and the first studies of human anatomy were made in Italy during the Renaissance. Rent apartments in Rome and enjoy this wonderful lesson on human anatomy.
Translated by: Marc
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