We just got a press release:
Seattle — 9/29/09 — Due to public demand, the most successful exhibition in Seattle’s history will make a triumphant return this October. BODIES…The Exhibition, which has now been seen by more than 15 million visitors, will open Saturday, October 17 at 1505 5th Avenue (Corner of 5th Ave. and Pike), in the heart of downtown. The exhibition will be open daily from 9 a.m. — 8 p.m and will run through March, 2009.
Setting aside the questionable “most successful exhibition” claim—maybe Jen Graves would like to address that here on Slog later today—this news is about as welcome as the annual return of the Blue Angels. The last time Bodies came to town, The Stranger covered it. Dan Ruisi wrote about the weird ethical dilemma of working for the exhibit:
There are many, albeit unsubstantiated, allegations that the corpses in the Bodies exhibit might be executed Chinese prisoners. The Laogai Research Foundation is a nonprofit group fighting the human-rights abuses of the Chinese government. Their website, offers detailed accounts of the Chinese government selling the organs of executed prisoners. Some paint the Chinese government in an even darker light, alleging the government kills inmates specifically to harvest organs, using genetic tests to find matches for “customers.”
And I brought a psychic to the exhibit to try to get to the bottom of it:
At a figure frozen in a garish ring-around-the-rosie pose with a skeleton, Spookee says, “He had dementia, but he wasn’t dangerous. He was peaceful and friendly.” A running figure almost brings her to tears: “There was a woman I channeled who was a suicide and I cried for a day and a half after that… This one feels like that.”
I can’t wait to see those fucking peeled corpses advertised everywhere around town. It made Christmastime in Seattle feel so…warm.
I saw Bodies last time around. I felt sick to my stomach the entire time. It didn’t feel “right”. Other than smoker’s lung I couldn’t clearly see a reason for their death — and neither could the nurse who came with me.
Oh, well if a psychic says the bodies belonged to wrongfully-executed Chinese prisoners, then obviously that’s exactly what happened.
This NSFW “Caption This” entry from yesterday’s Dlisted addresses this nicely:
http://www.dlisted.com/node/34101
Those ads were fucking everywhere and, oh, how I loathed them.
It really makes me want to start a letter writing campaign to Metro to get the ads banned from busses. It’s jarring to see body parts every day for months on end when you least expect it.
“And I brought a psychic to the exhibit to try to get to the bottom of it:”
That’s nice. I asked a psychic how they died and she told me ‘Paul Constant killed each and every one of them personally.’
I guess it’s your psychic vs. mine.
A psychic named Spookee, no less. A truly credible source, that.
Outrageous! We have perfectly good, American made cadavers from executions we should use.
Yet again, American corporations screw the little guy by outsourcing.
i hear they have new corpses who are boning – in reverse cowgirl.
I wonder how many political protesters were shot so you could get your jollies?
yeah i don’t appreciate seeing those ads either.
I’m extremely dubious of the “most successful exhibition” claim too. I remember visiting the King Tut exhibit in Seattle back in 1978. There were lines for blocks to get in. People came from all over the northwest to see it. Busloads of school kids from Portland and British Columbia. No way the Bodies exhibit came close to that.
That being said, I saw the Bodies exhibit last time around. Although I have some ethical concerns about the acquisition of the bodies, I thought it was fascinating as hell.
Why not put them to good use? They’d just be chucked in the river otherwise.
Goddamn it! Fuck! I hate those fucking ads. And why can’t we get the other one, Body Worlds or whatever it’s called. It’s at least somewhat more ethical, even if it’s just as gross.
i liked it- why does everyone hate it so much? I thought that show was cool
umm i saw that body worlds show in portland and it sucked- this one is the one they have in vegas and ny and i liked it better. the ads are fucking creepy though
I saw it last time it was here and thought it was really interesting… it is unbelievable how intricate the human body is!
I thought it was neat last time it was here. and… I don’t see why everyone is so offended by the ads- it is better than the anorexic and airbrushed models we usually see everywhere
well shit everyone seems pretty opinionated about it- friends in other cities said it was pretty cool so im prob going to go see it.
“it is better than the anorexic and airbrushed models we usually see everywhere “
So say the fat chicks, at least…
I for one would take dead bodies without skin over the bloated corpses of ‘real beauty’ models any day of the week. I assume advertisers will stop using thin models when they stop being hot, which I think will happen sometime after we evolve enormous heads and hands the size of snow crabs. Until then, keep jogging.
I saw “Bodies…the Exhibit” twice last time it was here and saw Dr. Gunther’s original “Bodyworlds” in California. I am intrigued by plastination and plan on going again when it opens in Seattle. So it will be in the same place as last time, right by the Convention center?
@ 4 “It’s jarring to see body parts every day for months on end when you least expect it.”
Oh nos, not BODY PARTS!
Um, its an ad for an anatomical exhibit, do you want them to have skin and makeup on, too?
Gosh, you would think the ads were showing dead puppies from how some of you are talking. I do agree with @ 13 however, I think Bodyworlds is a way better exhibit and probably more ethical.
should i eat before or after visiting?
Bring a bag of beef jerky with you to snack on!
@21,
Bodies had extremely aggressive advertising the last time the exhibit was here. If memory serves, they bought the majority of The Stranger’s Bumbershoot issue. It grew tiresome very quickly.
king tut exhibit back in the late 70’s (maybe early 80’s) was more successful. anybody want the original program guide from that PSC exhibit?
San Francisco has a law against this display, so they’re probably dragging these corpses back to Seattle again because they figure we’re too spineless to stand up against the obvious ethical violation, which is: no one asked permission of the soon-to-be-deceased for their cadavers to be displayed. Only because they’re non-Americans (read “non-Caucasians”) would we ever stand for this. What’s wrong with Seattle that we would put up with this?
I wonder which organ will be pilfered this time around…
YES!! YESSSSS!!! I have been waiting and waiting and waiting and not wanting to fly to chicago to see this again and again and again and again!!!!
Desecration is never cool. ABC News did an expose on this and the company Premier Exhibitions stock has hit rock bottom. These types of exhibits are now outlawed in Hawaii.
Yeh, Seattle what is it about us?
Maybe its because the Stranger keeps promoting this exhibit by accepting blood money ads.