Staff Writer
`On show at the Watershed at the V&A Waterfront until October 23, it features 16 new whole body plastinates (including a unique floating couple for adult viewing) on display for the first time here as well as over 160 organs, body parts and transparent body slices, which show the human body’s intelligent inner workings, explore how it functions, demonstrate its resilience and what happens when disease strikes.
Brought here by Great World Exhibitions, the bodies on display have been willed by donors who want to increase the public’s awareness of the human body. To date, more than 16,000 donors from around the world have bequeathed their bodies after death to Dr. von Hagens’ Institute for Plastination in Heidelberg, Germany.
Body Worlds Vital celebrates the potential of the human body and the body in motion through aesthetic presentations of its flawless form and complex functions. Featuring authentic human bodies and compelling multimedia installations, the exhibition shows the body in health, distress and disease. It compares healthy bodies to bodies that have succumbed to a host of illnesses and medical conditions.
It reveals the human body from the structural to the cellular level through the ground-breaking science of plastination. It shows the inner body through detailed anatomical studies, intricate dissections, and aesthetic compositions that resonate with visitors. The authentic human bodies on display serve as a bridge to self-recognition and self-improvement.
The exhibition educates about the marvel that is the human body and inspires people to live with vitality and to their full potential. In this collaboration between donors, anatomist, and visitors, the donors act as guides and teachers on this journey towards health, wellness and vitality.
Plastination is a unique process invented by Dr Gunther von Hagens in 1977 to preserve specimens for medical education. The process replaces bodily fluids and fat in specimens with fluid plastics that harden after so-called vacuum-forced impregnation. After the bodies are shaped into lifelike poses, they are hardened with gas, heat, or light. The plastinates show how our bodies move in everyday life, as well as during athletic activities.
Each exhibition in the series contains real human specimens, including full-body plastinates as well as individual organs, organ configurations, and transparent body slices. The spectacular plastinates in the exhibition take the visitor on an exciting journey of discovery under the skin. It provides a comprehensive insight into the anatomy and physiology of the human body. In addition to organ functions, common diseases are described in an easily understood manner by comparing healthy and affected organs. They show the long-term impact of diseases and addictions, such as tobacco or alcohol consumption, and demonstrate the mechanics of artificial knee and hip joints.
For those who were mesmerized by the Cycle of Life exhibition that visited SA in 2013, the difference is that this exhibition presents a special collection of specimens designed to show visitors the basics for human health and wellness.
Whereas the previous Cycle of Life exhibition focused on the aging process, Vital tells the fascinating story of how best to fight life-threatening diseases – such as cancer, diabetes, and heart ailments – through healthy choices and lifestyle changes. The exhibit inspires visitors to assert themselves and to claim responsibility for their own health and well-being. Most of the Vital exhibits – including the 13 full body plastinates which are the biggest attraction – are new.
Visitors are particularly intrigued by the whole body plastinates including a pair of figure skaters performing a skilful lift, a soccer player dribbling a ball, and a chess player plotting his next move – each one illustrating different aspects of the body’s muscular structures, functioning and potential. “ Vital is a new and different exhibition experience which is not only educational but also enlightening and in some instances life-changing,” says Tyrone Thöle, Managing Director of Great World Exhibitions.
“Surveys conducted among visitors after six months demonstrated the long-lasting positive effects of the exhibition on overall behaviour. Even after half a year, 9 % of the visitors smoked less or consumed less alcohol, 33 % followed a healthier diet, 25% engaged in more sports and 14 % became more aware of their body.” – Staff Writer
l Open daily 10am to 7pm. Book: www.bodyworldsvital.co.za Info: www.bodyworldsvital.co.za Tickets: www.webtickets.co.za