A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Oldschool Backpiece

Juliana sends in this pictures of her backpiece by Jeremy Swan at Broken Art Tattoo in Los Angeles, CA (photo taken by her friend Rebecca before the 2004 Inkslinger’s Ball). The tattoo was done over five sessions of three and a half to five hours each, between May 2003 and May 2004, and completed on Juliana’s 41st birthday.

Comments

20 responses to “Oldschool Backpiece”

  1. IG Avatar
    IG

    So interesting to watch..
    I think i just stared at it for the last 10 minutes.
    beautiful lady, beautiful cartoonish panther.
    i just love that backpiece!

  2. IG Avatar
    IG

    So interesting to watch..
    I think i just stared at it for the last 10 minutes.
    beautiful lady, beautiful cartoonish panther.
    i just love that backpiece!

  3. Court Avatar

    IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!

  4. Court Avatar

    IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!

  5. Smallfry Avatar
    Smallfry

    One of the best pieces of traditional style tattooing I’ve ever seen! I really like the color and the overall layout of the design. It fows really well.

  6. Smallfry Avatar
    Smallfry

    One of the best pieces of traditional style tattooing I’ve ever seen! I really like the color and the overall layout of the design. It fows really well.

  7. Lrig Avatar
    Lrig

    I love those black and yellow roses

  8. Lrig Avatar
    Lrig

    I love those black and yellow roses

  9. Leroy Avatar

    That panther is screwed. Two daggers to the head, I think it’s lost that fight.

  10. Leroy Avatar

    That panther is screwed. Two daggers to the head, I think it’s lost that fight.

  11. jeni Avatar

    I think I saw this in a tattoo mag a while back.

  12. jeni Avatar

    I think I saw this in a tattoo mag a while back.

  13. wish_I_were_a_dragon... Avatar

    wow, thats really funky!

  14. wish_I_were_a_dragon... Avatar

    wow, thats really funky!

  15. Pseud Avatar
    Pseud

    That rocks so much. I love that it is kinda feminine and still “tough’? for want of a better word. What an awesome birthday present that would’ve been.

  16. Pseud Avatar
    Pseud

    That rocks so much. I love that it is kinda feminine and still “tough’? for want of a better word. What an awesome birthday present that would’ve been.

  17. MaidenDisaster Avatar

    “That panther is screwed. Two daggers to the head, I think it’s lost that fight.”

    At least he got to cop a feel on the way out. Heh.

  18. MaidenDisaster Avatar

    “That panther is screwed. Two daggers to the head, I think it’s lost that fight.”

    At least he got to cop a feel on the way out. Heh.

  19. Em Avatar
    Em

    I really appreciate this piece because symbolically speaking it sends a very interesting message playing on the American traditional tattoo ideology.

    I am impressed. It’s not every day I can look at traditional work lately and actually be able to read it as opposed to yawning a bit and saying “oh, a sparrow.”

  20. Em Avatar
    Em

    I really appreciate this piece because symbolically speaking it sends a very interesting message playing on the American traditional tattoo ideology.

    I am impressed. It’s not every day I can look at traditional work lately and actually be able to read it as opposed to yawning a bit and saying “oh, a sparrow.”

Latest Tattoo, Piercing, and Body Modification News

  • Tethered in Time
    Some suspensions are planned down to the last detail—others arise suddenly, yet carry just as much meaning. For Kyle and Aly, what began as a spontaneous idea became a deeply symbolic expression of shared history and emotional connection. The number of hooks told a story… Read more: Tethered in Time
  • Held by Hooks, and Each Other
    Facilitators and practitioners—the very people who bring so many suspensions to life—often pour their energy into others, quietly setting aside their own opportunities. Brenton and Brittany are one such example. Traveling all the way from Houston, TX, they came to the Ontario Suspension Convention not… Read more: Held by Hooks, and Each Other
  • When Tongue Piercings Meet Medicine
    In 2010, a German study was published involving subjects with tongue piercings. The tongue piercing was used as part of a device designed to relieve obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder affecting many individuals. Severely affected individuals may suffer from various long-term… Read more: When Tongue Piercings Meet Medicine
  • Suspended, Not Silenced
    There’s something undeniably powerful about watching someone working through the stages of suspension. We all build up ideas about ourselves—what we’re allowed to feel, how much we’re allowed to express, when it’s okay to break. For some, suspension is not about pushing physical limits its… Read more: Suspended, Not Silenced
  • A Nightbird’s Passage
    Some stories take their time, unfolding over decades, through life’s long detours and diversions. But dreams never rest until they’re fully realized. Even after 15 years, Robb knew there was still a suspension experience waiting for him. Something left unfinished, something essential. At the Ontario… Read more: A Nightbird’s Passage
  • What Lifts the Body, Shifts the Soul
    First suspensions are rarely just about the body—they’re a meeting point between the physical and the deeply personal. Stepping into this experience isn’t simply about trying something new, but about stepping outside yourself to a version you had always sensed was waiting. I’ve had a… Read more: What Lifts the Body, Shifts the Soul