Russia probes exhibition displaying preserved corpses over violation of 'moral values'

Russia’s Investigative Committee, on March 24, said that they would initiate a probe into an exhibition that displays corpses as artwork. The Body Worlds Exhibition, pioneered by German anatomist Gunther von Hagens, has been put on display across the world including popular cities like Paris, London, Houston amongst others. The show opened in Moscow on March 12, however, within days it sparked controversy as leaders pointed out it was “immoral”. 

Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said in a statement that it would "conduct a procedural check against the initiators and organisers" of the Moscow edition of Body Worlds. They further reasoned that many public figures suggested that the exhibition "violates moral values" and "can be regarded as an insult to the religious feelings of believers". 

Additionally, a petition to terminate the exhibition has already been initiated at change.org. “The show destroys the ethical, moral and spiritual side of a person, lowering society and the state to the level of medieval laws,” asserts the petition. The petition has already garnered over signatures from across Russia. 

About the exhibition

The Body Worlds exhibits are one of the most successful traveling exhibitions in the world. On display since 1995, they have attracted more than 50 million visitors in over 140 cities across America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. It was created by Dr Angelina Whalley and Dr Gunther von Hagens who started the global exhibition with an aim to bolster preventive healthcare. “Their BODY WORLDS exhibitions were conceived to educate the public about the inner workings of the human body and to show the effects of healthy and unhealthy lifestyles. Targeted mainly at a lay audience, the exhibitions are aimed to inspire visitors to become aware of the fragility of their bodies and to recognize the anatomical individual beauty inside each of us,” a statement on the website reads. 

Representative Image: Pixabey