Body Slice at Wellcome Collection

Famous for his touring Bodies exhibition and for causing controversy with his treatments of real human bodies as art, Gunther Von Hagens now puts some of plastinated body parts on permanent display.

The body slice at Wellcome Collection is a permanent addition to the collection of scientific and medical objects already on display. Having opened in June, the Wellcome Collection is the first institution to display Von Hagens' pioneering plastination procedure on a full time basis, meaning that visitors to the collection can see a frontally dissected body amongst the modern artworks.

Located in the permanent Medicine Now gallery, the body slice demonstrates the plastination process, which is a method of preserving the body to enable anatomists to study the organs and flesh in closer detail without the natural deteriorating effects. Invented by Von Hagens in 1977, this method was the inspiration for the Bodies exhibition.

Showcasing some of the peculiarities from the world of science, the Wellcome Collection houses three contemporary galleries along with the world famous Wellcome library, combining in an experience that provide visitors with a radical insight into the human condition. One of the most controversial exhibitions to travel the world, Von Hagens' Bodies exhibited over 200 plastinated bodies and organs, and has been on the move since 1995. Approximately 850,000 visitors saw the exhibition when it came to London, so it is no surprise that the body slice at Wellcome Collection is recieving a lot of attention.

For more information on Von Hagens' body slice at Wellcome Collection and the other exhibits, visit www.wellcomecollection.org.

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