Real bodies show heads for Glasgow

A controversial exhibition showing how bodies work – using real human bodies – has applied for a temporary public entertainment licence for the Pinnacle at 160 Bothwell Street  in Glasgow.

Entitled ‘Bodies Revealed’ the show is organised by Premier Exhibitions Inc, an American company with a postal address in Atlanta, Georgia. It has been seen in a handful of cities in the United States and was recently shown in Birmingham, England.

Glasgow Councillor Dr Nina Baker said: The display of actual human remains is preserved by a process called ‘Plastination’ which strips away skin etc to reveal anatomical details. It is presented as educational but has been highly controversial almost everywhere it has been shown.’ She said she was concerned about the dignity of the human bodies used. ‘While the organisation claims all are donated, there are concerns about the actual origins of the bodies,’ said Councillor Baker. Allegations have been made that the bodies came from executed Chinese prisoners.

Said Councillor Baker: ‘ I, personally, would be worried about suitability for younger visitors and implications for public order due to demonstrations against the show. Residents with concerns who wish to voice them should go to the Licensing Section, 235 George Street, Glasgow G1 1QZ. The deadline is Wednesday 7 March and the entertainment licence reference is T2906.’

When exhibited in Birmingham, England, the show was picketed by Dr David Nicholl a Neurology consultant at Birmingham City Hospital who called it ‘a crime scene’. He accused the organisers of taking ‘blood money’ by charging £14 entry to the show and claimed that some of the bodies had come from Chinese prisoners who had been executed.

Premier Exhibitions say in their promotional website: ‘Our bodies are our most important possession. They are intricately developed machines; more complex and wondrous than all the computers and gadgetry we surround ourselves with today. Yet many of us do not know what makes us tick—how we function, what we need to survive, what destroys us, what revives us. Bodies Revealed, made possible through the process of Polymer Preservation, is an attempt to remedy that lack of knowledge by presenting to the lay public material that was previously only available to the medical profession: a three-dimensional tour of the human body.’

The Polymer preservation process allows human tissue to be permanently preserved using liquid silicone rubber. This prevents the natural decay process and preserves specimens for an indefinite time.

 

 

Chaplaincy to host major art fest

The  chaplaincy of Glasgow University  is working with the Archdiocese to promote Lentfest – an arts festival held during the preparation time before Easter.

Twenty-nine artists from across the UK will take part in a major exhibition of Stations of the Cross and Resurrection at the University.

The strong line-up includes Peter Howson, Jolomo (John Lowrie Morrison), Anne Devine, Sandy Moffat and Richard Demarco alongside regular participants such as Sarah T. Bookless, Brendan Berry and David T. Collins.

Lentfest Director, Stephen Callaghan explains: ‘The popularity of the exhibition topic illustrates the timelessness of Biblical subject matter and the diversity of the artists will no doubt ensure a wide range of interpretations. We’ve never had so many artists take part and not all of them are Christian so it will be interesting to see what they come up with.’

Archbishop Mario Conti, Lentfest’s patron, added: ‘I am delighted that we have the support of the University of Glasgow Chaplaincy for this exhibition and I hope that many people will visit it during Lent and use it as a means of reflection and prayer.’

Among the highlights of Lentfest will be a new play about the martyrdom of Saint John Ogilvie who died at Glasgow Cross in 1615. A weekend of music workshops will be led by James MacMillan and Father Guy Nichols from the John Henry Newman Institute for Liturgical Music in Birmingham. The first performance of Graham Hair’s new version of  ’The Seven Last Words’ with liturgical dance is also scheduled.

Glasgow University’s multifaith centre is expecting VIP visitors next year. The Rev. Stuart MacQuarrie, senior cleric at the church in the Square said: ‘We expect the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Right Rev. David Arnott and Glasgow’s Archbishop Mario Conti. We also plan a service for couples being married.’

Apart from the Lentfest exhibition, Glasgow University’s multifaith centre (the chaplaincy) is expecting VIP visitors. Said Rev. Stuart MacQuarrie, senior cleric at the church in University Square: ‘We expect a visit from the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Right Rev. David Arnott and Glasgow’s Archbishop Mario Conti. We also plan a service for couples being married.’

Model face wanted

If your face fits on Wednesday 17 August, you could become a new model face for Swarovski Crystallized. That’s when the scouting agency Unsigned will be in Glasgow searching for likely models. Their tour of the UK and Ireland started mid-July in Birmingham and finishes 17 cities later, in London on Friday 2 September. International supermodel Helena Christensen will head the judging panel which will include fashion photographer Mariano Vivanco, model Robert Konjic and David Vivirido and Francesco Sourigues who are Editors in Chief of leading men’s magazine Hercules.

Unsignedmodel.search.com will keep everyone up-to-date with the tour including a GPS track on the tour car’s location, daily blogs and the chance for aspiring models to become part of the search by uploading their pix.