The conceptual director behind Body Worlds 2 and the Body Worlds franchise now touring the globe, Dr. Angelina Whalley, met plastination inventor Gunther von Hagens in an anatomy class, and the two have presented the world with unprecedented views of the human body.
Body Worlds has a visceral impact on people who see it as well as those who refuse to go near it. How has this work affected you?
When I first began to work in the field of plastination, I was enthralled and amazed by the science of it, and the refinement of the science. But if one works closely in a setting, the setting becomes normal. What is extraordinary is what happens outside the sphere of my work. People who have seen the exhibition write movingly about their experiences at Body Worlds, and that is what affects me and my work now.
Is plastination something you would consider for your body?
Of course. I and my husband, Gunther von Hagens, and many members of our families and staff are registered donors in the Institute for Plastination?s Body Donation Program.
Your plan was to practice medicine; what made you stick with Gunther von Hagens all this time?
Sometimes, something so monumental happens that you just feel that it is important to be a part of it. I did have great doubts about tying my fate to his science, but I was caught up in the vastness of his intention and ambition. As a physician, I had hoped to heal one patient at a time, but with Body Worlds, I have been able to teach preventive medicine to millions.
