Gunther von Hagens, the German anatomist who invented plastination and turned human bodies into art through his Body Worlds exhibitions, has died aged 80.
Early life and career
Born in 1945 in Alt-Skalden, then in Germany, he studied medicine at the University of Jena. He fled East Germany in 1965 and continued his studies in Lübeck. After working as a pathologist, he developed plastination in 1977 at the University of Heidelberg.
Body Worlds exhibitions
His first Body Worlds exhibition opened in Tokyo in 1995. The shows displayed plastinated human bodies and body parts in poses, drawing millions of visitors worldwide. The exhibitions sparked ethical debates about consent and human dignity.
Controversy and legacy
Von Hagens faced criticism from religious groups and medical ethics bodies. He defended his work as educational and anatomical. He also performed a public autopsy in London in 2002. His techniques have been used in medical teaching and research.
