THE Amazing HUMAN BODY

Amid controversy and protests, Bodies ... the Exhibition opens Saturday at Ala Moana Center. Hailed by many teachers as educational, it has inspired some who have seen it to live healthier

Friday - June 13, 2008
By Brandon Bosworth
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Splitting image: ‘Bodies’ offers a rare look inside a human body

Chinese sources from which the bodies are obtained. Premier Exhibitions gets the bodies from universities in China, with Dalian University being the main supplier.

According to the official website www.bodiestheexhibition.com, “Asia possesses the largest and most highly competent group of dissectors in the world,and they are highly skilled in preparing the bodies for educational and scientific purposes.” The dissection and plasti-nation occur in China,and then the bodies are shipped to the U.S. for display. China still maintains ownership, and as Glover explained, Premier Exhibitions understands “the specimens are university property to be returned.” But where do the actual corpses come from? “They are unclaimed bodies of people who died from natural causes,” Glover says assuringly.

Many are not assured. The New York Times, 20/20 and other news outlets have reported on the possibility of executed political prisoners being used as “specimens,” and an article in the San Diego Union Tribune specifically mentioned Dalian University as having a history of using executed prisoners for commercial purposes. Former political prisoner and human rights activist Harry Wu has been vocal in condemning “Bodies ... ,” fearing he may be looking at the remains of dead dissidents. Glover believes there is no reason for such concern, and says,“We are confident in Dalian University.We would never use bodies obtained unethically.” He explains that Dalian provides sworn affidavits stating the dead died from natural causes. Asked if these affidavits were available to the public, Glover said they were posted on the Premier Exhibitions website, www.prxi.com. (This reporter was unable to locate the affidavits at either the Premier Exhibitions site or the official “Bodies ... the Exhibition” site.)

Blood vessels in the face and head

No information as to the exact cause of death is provided by Dalian University, as such information is deemed confidential. Glover makes it clear that he and a colleague examine all the specimens for signs of trauma or abuse, and claims to never have found any. For the most part, however, Premier Exhibitions mostly relies on the good faith of its partners in China, just as American pet food companies did before poisoned products started killing animals and American toy companies did before lead-laden toys began showing up on store shelves.

Now “Bodies ... the Exhibition” is here in Hawaii.The scheduled run is from June 14 until Jan. 18 of next year. The show will be staged at Ala Moana Center in a gallery near Nordstrom. Ticket costs range from $18 to $26.

Despite any moral misgivings some may have about “Bodies ...,” if past performance is any clue, it will be a hit here in Honolulu just as it has been in many other cities. Millions have already viewed it and similar shows, so the appeal is definitely there.

Just ask our cousins the chimps, bonobos and gorillas.

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