Saatchi gallery to exhibit tombstones of Russian gangsters

London’s Saatchi Gallery will exhibit photos of tombstones belonging to Russian mobsters as part of an exhibition that looks at the physical body and its relationship to the political and the social. Body Language will show the work of 19 emerging international artists who use a range of media to reflect on the human form.

On display will be a series of photos by Russian photographer Denis Tarasov, taken at cemeteries in Russia and Ukraine. The tombstones in the photos depict figures in the mafia wars of the Nineties in all their finery. Some pose in front of iconic national monuments while others stand next to expensive cars or sip champagne. Some even sit on throne-like chairs as a way to illustrate their status when alive. Body Language opens on 20 November and runs until 16 March 2013.