Dr. Death Wants To Sell Body Parts In The Internet
Posted: Sunday, October 24, 2010
by Joel Kontinen
http://joelkontinen.blogspot.com/
A German artist has announced that he will begin selling human bodies and body parts in the Internet. According to Sddeutsche Zeiting, an entire corpse will cost 89, 615 euros or approximately 125, 000 US dollars, so most people will probably think twice before they reach for their wallet, Visa or Master Card.
Known as Dr. Tod ( 'Dr. Death') in his homeland, Gnther von Hagens is an artist who has acclaimed both fame and notoriety for his artwork that uses real human bodies and body parts. In the late 1970s he invented and patented a technique known as plastination in which moisture and fat are removed from the cadavers so that they do not smell and they can be touched. Over 26 million people have seen his "Body Worlds" exhibitions in Europe and the United States.
His artwork is not restricted to human cadavers, however. He has also prepared several kinds of animals, even a giraffe for his exhibitions, but he is mostly known for his peculiar way of using human corpses in art.
His nickname Dr. Death is not a joke. Von Hagens is a medical doctor and an anatomist turned artist. For him the expression rest in peace seems to be mostly meaningless, and he has indeed been involved in several questionable projects, such as a public autopsy in Great Britain in 2002, and has faced criminal charges for several of his exploits.
At least both Catholics and Jews have raised objections to von Hagens' artwork. Indeed, one might with good reason ask whether the use of real human cadavers for entertainment is acceptable.
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