In September, Sydney waved an awkward farewell to the wildly popular but controversial Real Bodies exhibition, as 20 perfectly preserved human cadavers and 200 anatomical specimens were packed away. Now, with a hunger for knowledge, aware of the ethical issues involved, and feeling a little more comfortable staring into the unseeing eyes of a once living human, fans of human biology will get another entrancing, disturbing and educational exhibition with Body Worlds Vital.
This separate exhibit, created by Gunther von Hagens in 1995, has toured more than 130 countries worldwide. Von Hagens is also the inventor of ‘plastination’, which is the process that stops a body decomposing by replacing the fat and water within body tissue with a polymer plastic. It's this treatment that enabled the preservation of the specimens Sydney saw in Real Bodies.
So expect to see similar, sinewy human forms in Body Worlds Vital, with more than 150 donated anatomical specimens revealing how lifestyle decisions impact the wellbeing of our bodies. Visitors will learn about anatomy, disease and health by observing the human forms in various states.
Will this Town Hall exhibit be one that pushes you to give up red meat, start that exercise program in earnest or give kombucha a go? We'll find out from December 3.
