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

  • The World Is Beautiful

    Written by

    Shannon Larratt

    In April of last year, on her 18th birthday, Alyssa got “Die Welt ist Schön” tattooed on her foot by Sue at Regeneration in Allston, MA. This is the title of Albert Renger-Patzsch‘s second collection of photography which focuses on the beauty found in the ordinary.

    I hoped that it would serve as a reminder to myself to continue to see the beauty in the world even when I ceased to be so happy. Two months went by, my life spiraled out of control, and my tattoo faded almost completely away. In early July I had an abortion. The next day I went with a friend to Skin Graff Tattoo in Worcester, MA to sit with her while she got her half sleeve done. The guys at the shop joked about the chicken scratch tattoo on my foot and asked when I’d get it redone and I’d joke back, “oh, I’ll do it when I have money” but I had no real intention of ever fixing it. To me it meant something that the words which I had loved so dearly for years were literally disappearing as I spiraled downward.

    Then, Ja Woek called me over to the bench he had set up, which I thought was for someone else, and he completely re-did my tattoo, effectively giving me a cover up. “I didn’t say anything about money,” he smiled.

    He reminded me of what I had loved so much about the words. The day after one of the most traumatizing experience of my life came one of the best. Now when I look down, the words have a history that goes beyond what I ever thought they would.

    I think this also illustrates just how far a little bit of kindness goes, and how much small, symbolic acts can profoundly affect a person’s life.

    alyssa.jpg

  • Feel No Shame When None Is Due

    Written by

    Shannon Larratt

    Jef was open enough to share the story behind his brave chestscript,

    I was sexually abused as a child. Growing up I knew only shame, for any and all my actions. I did this after a month or so of reflection on a conversation I had with a beautiful dancer I met while doing something I shouldn’t have been. We shared somewhat mutual stories, and as the conversation progressed, she impressed upon me the idea of shameless, a complete anathema to how I’ve lived for years and years. I had decided to get it as a reminder that others — and therefore myself — are able to live life feeling no shame where shame is not due. Every day it serves as a reminder that I am not responsible for what happened to me, and a motivator to continue my healing.

    jef-shameless.jpg

  • “Milpool” Tattoo

    Written by

    Shannon Larratt

    Oh my God I love this!!! Meaghan was getting her chestpiece touched up recently, and she was chatting with her artist about things that would be funny tattoos. And, as often happens in these situations, a spur of the moment tattoo ensued…

    Being a big Simpsons fan, I mentioned the episode “Bart of Darkness,” where Bart breaks his leg and Milhouse signs his cast “Milpool” and runs off to go swimming. We were both laughing so hard about it that I insisted on getting it tattooed on me there and then. Now, every time I look at it, I crack up.

    Definitely one of the more obscure Simpsons tattoos out there… But Caitlin and I — who both got a laugh when this popped up on my screen yesterday — agree; very funny.

    meaghan-milpool.jpg

  • Autopsy-Pattern Microdermals

    Written by

    Shannon Larratt

    Yelena’s done a major microdermal project (“pretty much splitting me in half with microdermals,” she says) in which thirteen of them have been laid out along what could be an autopsy scar. They were placed by Evan at Church of Steel, San Diego, CA.

    yelena.jpg

  • Navio Mara Hope Suspension

    Written by

    Shannon Larratt

    valnei-hope-1.jpg

    As they say… location, location, location!

    Along with a boat full of suspension gear, Valnei and friends rowed out to the wreck of the Mara Hope, an old tanker ship that sunk just off the coast of Fortaleza, Brasil in the early eighties.

    valnei-hope-2.jpg

    More photos continue after the break…

    valnei-hope-3.jpg

    Rigged to the boat’s crane, they did a guerilla two-point o-kee-pa style chest suspension… I’d wager this is the first suspension off a shipwreck?

    valnei-hope-4.jpg

    valnei-hope-5.jpg

    valnei-hope-6.jpg

    valnei-hope-7.jpg

  • This Can’t Be Taken Away

    Written by

    Shannon Larratt

    When Michael joined the Navy about a year ago he had to make some serious sacrifices, including not only removing all of his piercings, but even had his nearly 2″ lobe surgically reconstructed.

    I hid a lot of what I felt was me to attempt a new path in life. It was a difficult thing to do, but I knew in the end it was what I wanted. I always knew that I could come back to who I was after a few years, and pick up right where I left off. Nothing would be permanently lost, but a part of me would definitely have to be hidden from plain sight for the time being.

    With the sacrifice of my piercings and lifestyle, I decided I wanted to get something to remind myself that no matter what, I’m still the same person I always was, and nothing can change that. Nothing seemed to fit more than the BME Calm logo I’d grown to love for quite a while now. It will be a constant reminder of who I am, was, and will become in the future.

    BME is definitely much more than a website… It’s a way of being, and to report the all-too-obvious cliché, a family.

    michael-calm.jpg

  • When Corset Piercings Survive

    Written by

    Shannon Larratt

    Michelle is proof that corset piercings, done correctly, are perfectly capable of surviving into the longterm. At nine months old it’s quite well healed and looking very healthy.

    It’s winter, I can’t put the rings on myself, and I’ve lost all the ribbon — excuses, excuses. I still can’t go through a good sized party in my home town (or college come to think of it) where someone doesn’t ask to see my back or tell someone else that they just need to see that metal I have. I almost always make people touch it — it makes the night just that much more fun.

    I know I’m always asking people I’ve just met to touch my piercings too, but the only piercings I have are below the belt so the context is different.

    playdoeater.jpg

  • Grossest Plugs Ever?

    Written by

    Shannon Larratt

    John cut off his nipples, cast them in resin, and wears them in his ears. This is the body modification equivalent of a fly in amber I suppose.

    john-nipple-plugs.jpg

  • Nine “Not Too Horrible” Hours of Outline

    Written by

    Shannon Larratt

    Brenda‘s backpiece, which as far as I know is autobiographical — the story of her life so far — is going to look psychedelically hilarious when it’s all coloured in. I can’t wait to see it! It was done by her boss Chris Howton at Cynical Tattoos in Northport, AL where she pierces.

    brenda-backpiece.jpg

  • I see a touch-up in your future

    Written by

    Shannon Larratt

    anders-lip-project.jpg

    My friend Anders in Marsden, Australia, did the simple but great five-ring lip project above, as well as all the microdermals below, with the first and the last one both being tattoo-metal interaction projects. It won’t make a difference on the first four of course, but I guess the one downside to having a pretty neat looking mod like this is that one day the scar from the microdermal will have to be repaired…

    anders-microdermals-1.jpg anders-microdermals-2.jpg anders-microdermals-3.jpg anders-microdermals-4.jpg anders-microdermals-5.jpg