In this file taken on April 27, 2011 a young woman stands behind a body preserved by German plastinator Gunther von Hagens at the 'Body Worlds & The Story of the Heart' exhibition during the show's opening day in Berlin | AFP
The German creator of the controversial “Body Worlds” exhibitions of dissected human and animal bodies, Gunther von Hagens, has died at age 81, his family said Monday.
They added in a statement that “it was Gunther von Hagens’ own wish to make his body available for plastination after his death”, referring to his technique of preserving human remains.
“His family will respect and carry out this wish.”
Von Hagens, an anatomist, lecturer and entrepreneur nicknamed “Dr Death,” in the 1970s invented the plastination process, which involves removing water and fat from human and animal tissue and replacing them with chemical compounds.
