BME: Body Modification Ezine

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.

Tattoo, Piercing, and Body Modification News, Events, and Culture

  • More Fun From An Evening With Horiyoshi III

    Written by

    Jordan Ginsberg


    Hey, remember this past weekend, when we showed you some pictures from Canvas LA‘s sexy swingers party, An Evening with Horiyoshi III? Well, there are plenty more fun photos where those came from! Like that one up there, with teevee star “Rachel from BME” hanging out with Benji Madden!

    After the jump, Benji finds himself in a compromising position (!) and other goodies.

    Rachel, ever the enterprising businessperson, told Madden there was a strict “no shirt” policy at the gallery. Some guys fall for anything.

    Alright, Benji, now you’re just showing off.

    And here we have Bob Roberts of the world-famous Spotlight Tattoo, lookin’ sharp! He was not so easily swindled into disrobing.

    Hey, Bruce Buffer was there too! He and his brother Michael have a blood-pact to never remove any article of clothing in public, so it is impossible to confirm or deny whether or not he’s all tattooed underneath. I can also neither confirm nor deny reports that he brings a microphone with him wherever he goes and prompts random pairings of people to fight to the death. (Oh…we can confirm he doesn’t do that? Well, good.)

    D.C.’s Grant Cobb was most surprised indeed to learn that the allegedly “free” Sapporo came with a complimentary goosing.

    Oh, and here is L.A. Ink‘s Kim Saigh with the multi-talented Shawn Barber, both of whom have been the subjects of profiles on BME! (Saigh here, Barber here.) Now, hmm, wouldn’t want to make any wild assumptions here, but is it possible they found love, you know…because of BME? (No.)

    Photos by Thaddeus Brown.

  • Guess What? Shark Week Edition

    Written by

    Jordan Ginsberg


    You know what? Let’s turn this into an impromptu Guess What? Just try to guess how the person whose tattoo this is described it. Whoever guesses correctly wins whatever remains of Rajon Rondo‘s soul.

    Says D8withthenight:

    To clarify, she is a drag-queen sock-shark eating her own tampon.

    If you say you got it bang-on…you are a dirty, rotten liar.

    (Tattoo by Ricket Sjovengen at Cold Steel America in San Francisco, California.)

    See more in “Miscellaneous Tattoos“ (Tattoos)

  • The Track of Truth

    Written by

    Jordan Ginsberg


    AHH PHOTOSHOPPED THIS IS PHOTOSHOPPED AHHH-

    Ahem. Actually, it’s Sy, hanging out in Holbury, waiting for summer to come, and dealing quite stoically with those flowers blooming out of his nose, I must say. Probably not as uncomfortable as a tree growing in your lung, but an inconvenience nonetheless.

    See more in “Nostril piercing“ (Nose Piercing)

  • He Done Blind Me

    Written by

    Jordan Ginsberg


    Hey now, here’s a fine-looking piece being sported by Azreal. It’s not always easy to take traditional elements like flowers, banners and script and make them look truly fresh, but I think this really works. The coloring on the lilies is great, and, my Latin is a little rusty, so correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe those are the lyrics to Witchy Woman, which, hey, nice touch.

    (Tattoo by Jimmy G. at Five Cents Tattoo in Ottawa, Ontario. And those are obviously not Eagles lyrics. I am just an idiot.)

    See more in “Floral Tattoos“ (Tattoos)

  • Beat the Ground

    Written by

    Jordan Ginsberg


    Hi, folks! And now, for today’s lesson in symbols. If you see a person waving a white flag, approach and capture them. However, if you see a person waving a self-knitted skull cozy from a sewing needle in their septum, you run. You turn your head and you run and you don’t look back.

    (Says MrsRayRay, “Four gauge—the needle fits, so why not?” No argument here.)

    See more in “Septum piercing“ (Nose Piercing)

  • Blackest Midnight Born

    Written by

    Jordan Ginsberg


    Well, folks, there’s another day in the books. And, because you’ve all been so lovely, here is a sweet bedtime story courtesy of DJ Minor at Nightmare Studios in Reno, Nevada, in which a well-coiffed man is torn to bloody shreds and devoured by a demon-wolf, from hell, the end.

    See more in “Sci-Fi Tattoos“ (Tattoos)

  • Tenderized

    Written by

    Jordan Ginsberg


    I would be remiss if I didn’t take a second to mention all the phenomenal animal-related tattoos and scarification projects we’ve been getting lately. I know there can be a little push-back on here when it seems like we’re too thematically static for extended periods of time, but you’ll have to forgive us, because really, we’re just getting inundated (in a good way) with so much great stuff. Like, for example, this phoenix cutting by Brooklyn dandy Brian out of Williamsburg’s Pure Body Arts, which looks positively ground-beefy fresh as it is in this shot, but if anyone can make a piece like this work, it’s probably him. We’ll be anxiously awaiting the results.

    See more in “Brian Decker“ (Scarification)

  • The Hidden Language

    Written by

    Jordan Ginsberg


    Really pretty photo set here from Lisa, who writes:

    The picture was really the photographer Karin’s idea, she just hadn’t found anyone who could do it before we started talking mod pics just for fun. My ex is a body mod freak and could help us with the hook part. This was actually my first time with hooks.

    And a fine first time it is! One more photo, after the jump.

    (More photos of Lisa can be found here. More of Karin’s photography can be found here.)

    See more in “Pulling and Trucking“ (Ritual)

  • The Pain of Being a Man

    Written by

    Jordan Ginsberg


    These great tattoos come to us from Rick Lohm of Scarab Body Arts in Syracuse, New York, and, if you’re anything like me, your mind probably went to the same place: With a blood-spitting gorilla acting as the referee, who wins in a death-match, alligator in a teacup or giraffe in a jar? The answer? America.

  • VIMBY Video: Steve Soto

    Written by

    Ary Mega


    Steve Soto from Goodfellas Tattoo showed us around the shop and his loyal crew of artists. Soto specializes in black and gray smooth shading, gradually perfecting his realism techniques.