BME: Body Modification Ezine

A tattooed person suspends from hooks, laying flat, one leg higher than the other. Their head is back, and they seem to be smiling, dark hair dangling like an anime character.

Celebrating body modification culture since 1994.

Author: Rob

  • Thursday, I don’t care about you

    Written by

    Rob

    Have you ever had a moment where life just is overwhelming.  No matter where you turn things just keep getting worse.

    It happens to all of us at some point in our lives.  You can chalk it up to a string of bad luck, the universe is out to get you, or the consequences of whatever belief system you subscribe to.  No matter the reason, there comes a time where to some shutting down seems like the only option.  Think about it, you’ve lost your job, your partner has left you, bills are piling up, you don’t get along with your family, friends are nowhere to be found.  Any one of those things are hard to deal with, but imagine going through all of them at once.  At some point most people will hit a breaking point and just give up, welcoming whatever bad thing my be lurking around the next corner.

    It’s in situations like this that whatever coping strategies we may have developed over the years can really help.  Especially in a situation where you have nobody to turn to but yourself.  Thankfully in today’s world there are people out there.  Strangers that will help you overcome your difficulties.  Except that these people cannot be proactive.  It would be a nigh impossible task to sit down and call everyone on the planet daily to check in on their well-being.  So the onus comes back on the person.  That first step that needs to be taken.  With the weight of the world on your shoulders, even making one step can seem impossible.  This is where looking inside can help.  You need to gather up whatever ounce of strength you have left, and force yourself to take that step, and realize that everything will be ok.

    ok

    This image was uploaded anonymously, but if anyone knows who the arm belongs to, please send a name my way so I can give proper credit.

  • Pulling through the pain

    Written by

    Rob

    “Death is a stopping of impressions through the senses, and of the pulling of the cords of motion, and of the ways of thought, and of service to the flesh.”

    – Marcus Aurelius

    The following image is one of a series of photos sent in by IAM: Bruisepresser

    pull

    As near as I can tell, this pull, and the rest of the images come from some performance or photoshoot that was done.

    What strikes me most about this image is the raw emotions that were captured.  You have this moment where the pressure of the pull is being felt, and the hands are back holding on for support, either physical or emotional.  The moment where all the sensations are becoming overwhelming and her face is showing the emotional, physical, and spiritual feelings that are passing through her body.  While she is in costume, and has a mask of paint on, you can see beyond all that.  Beyond the physical action of the pulling.  Beyond the costuming and makeup.  You are able to see right into her being.

    This is why we do the things we do.  To reach a point in ourselves when we can truly see and feel what it is to be our ideal.  Whatever mods you have, or activities you participate in, they’re all building to moments such as this one.  When we can strip away all the trappings of the outside world, and bare our souls to ourselves.  See what we really are, and what we want to become.

    So thank you Bruisepresser, for sharing this moment with us.

  • Your face reminds me of a flower

    Written by

    Rob

    Bees can learn to recognize human faces, or at least face-like patterns, a new study suggests.

    Rather than specifically recognizing people, these nectar-feeding creatures view us as “strange flowers,” the researchers say. And while they might not be able to identify individual humans, they can learn to distinguish features that are arranged to look like faces.

    –LiveScience.com

    I started today’s posts with a discussion on subtlety, and how over time a person’s mods become so much a part of them that they can forget they’re even present.

    Now let’s look at the opposite side of the coin.  T-Man Tattoo recently uploaded this photo of a facial tattoo.

    face

    A number of things stood out to me about this image.  First and foremost, the colors are beautiful, they really pop, and the design fits her face really well.  The other thing that stood out to me, when put into context from my post earlier today, was that of a question.  Would this be the type of mod that someone could forget they have?  The reason I bring this up is that as a decision, facial tattoos are definitely up there on the list of major life choices.  While not to downplay any other modification and it’s significance, the facial tattoo has a long tradition as being culturally significant.  Cultures for centuries have been using facial tattoos for various reason, some for beauty, some for intimidation, and others for religion.  No matter the reason behind it, the facial tattoo is one of the mods that will alter others perceptions of you the most.  Of course what matters most is one’s own sense of self, and I’m not forgetting that at all.

    To put it simply, it takes a brave person to really seize control of their body and alter it in any way.  It takes an even braver person to do it in a manner that bucks the current cultural trends, and taps back into those cultures that came before ours and paved the path for modifications as we know it.  Hopefully we will all be around to see a day when modifications of all kinds become as culturally acceptable as the ones that are accepted today.  I’ve said this countless times now, that modifications are less about showing off to others, but more for becoming who a person wants to be.  I’ll be the first to do the dance of joy the day people with visible modifications can walk down the street and nobody will even think twice about their appearance.

  • Gotta catch’em all!

    Written by

    Rob

    Raise your hand if you’ve heard of Pokemon.  Good.  Now if you’ve never seen the TV show, lower your hand.  Finally, if you’ve never played any of the games (card or video) lower your hand.  Those of you with your hands still up.  You should probably put them down, people will start staring at you wondering why there’s a crazy person starting at their computer with their hand in the air.

    Now if you raised your hand at any point, congratulations, you’ve been exposed at some point in your life to the cultural phenomenon that’s been going on almost as long as that documentary about Allen has been in existence.  I think what is interesting to note at first, is that the first generation of kids that got into Pokemon are well into their 20s.  So it should come as no surprise that Pokemon related modifications are becoming more prevalent.

    When it comes to a pop-culture related mod, a lot depends on context.  I know that if I had gotten say a River City Ransom or Clash at Demonhead tattoo 10 years ago, only people my age would have a clue as to what they were a reference to.  Now with films like Scott Pilgrim coming out (seriously, best movie I’ve seen in 10 years, go watch it) you have this resurgence of classic pop-culture being exposed to a generation that wasn’t even born before the N64 was released.  Now when it comes to Pokemon, you’re seeing a completely different type of generational culture attachment.  Pokemon is still going strong today.  We’re at a point with it where the kids who were part of the first wave of fans, are now sitting down with their own children to play the games.  For someone my age it’s hard to imagine that occurring for me.  While Pokemon is still popular with the young folk, the shows and games I grew up on are only getting a resurgence in popularity due to nostalgia.  Some may argue that the exposure is still present, and while it may be, the children of my generation will only be able to watch the shows and play the games we grew up on if we were able to hold on to our childhood possessions.  Granted, I personally thought ahead.  If I ever have a child, when they’re old enough to play video games, the first game they will play will be Super Mario Bros on my original NES.  When they want to watch a cartoon, I’ve got the full collections of GI JOE and Transformers sitting on a shelf waiting for them.  So yes, the exposure to these classic pop-culture icons will essentially be forced, it’s nice to know that with the digital age those younger than me can enjoy the games they played as a child with their children, at it will still be culturally relevant.

    Now, seeing as how I may have exposed myself as a geek, let me distract you with a picture of one of those Pokemon fans that has grown up and gotten a scarification piece done of their favorite Pokemon, #38 Ninetails (I had to look that up).

    ninetails

    So, those of you who raised your hands, what was your favorite Pokemon?

  • Skin deep

    Written by

    Rob

    I was going to hold off on this article until later in the week, but then I realized that I’d be depriving people of a really special treat.

    So I was going through the newsfeed submissions when I found this article on an exhibit currently going on at the Wellcome Collection in London.  The exhibit is titled “Skin” and it showcases the significance different cultures have placed on skin over the centuries.  It includes images of early anatomical lessons, as well as skin samples preserved to showcase the tattoos on the donor.

    A black and white photograph of a patient in a Parisian hospital is the first piece in the exhibition. Running the length of the patient’s back is a giant scar.

    “This photograph sums up a lot of the underlying themes in the exhibition, first and foremost the exploration of skin as a physical and metaphorical frontier between the inside and outside of the body,” co-curator of the exhibition Lucy Shanahan told Reuters.

    Pieces of tattooed human skin from the 19th century are on display beside a case devoted to the Maori tradition of tattooing.

    Now I know what you’re thinking, “That’s it Rob?  An art gallery?  What kind of treat is that?”.  Well, I have a simple answer to that.  Keep reading.

    Now after reading about the exhibit, I thought to myself, “Self, what can I post that would go well with a story about the historical study of skin?”.  Well, I started to look around when I heard the familiar chime of an e-mail hitting my inbox.  I switch windows to find an e-mail from Jen.  In it contained something that some of you may have seen before, but I’m guessing a lot of people haven’t.

    The following is a video from a 1995 documentary on a very young Allen Falkner.  In it Alan talks about the importance of skin and flesh, and the significance he puts on working with it.  I could go on, but I’ll let Allen take it from here.

    It’s interesting to look back 15 years, or 1500 years, and see just how much the modification of skin has played an important role in our cultural development.  While techniques and procedures have changed over the years, the importance we as humans put on identifying ourselves through our skin is still present.  In the video Allen has captured the essence of realizing that the skin is much more than just a simple organ covering our bodies.  The skin can serve as a doorway to both spiritual enlightenment and personal satisfaction.  Through modifications such as suspensions, one can not only learn about themselves, but also how they wish to become through whatever transformative act they choose.

    If you don’t have time right at this moment to watch the video, I encourage you to come back to ModBlog when you can and watch it in its entirety.  This is our version of a historical document, one that will one day be added to a historical exhibit such as the one going on at the Wellcome Gallery now.

  • …and Wednesday too

    Written by

    Rob

    There’s something to be said for subtlety.  A lot of times we focus on the big picture, bright bold images of drastic modification.  Don’t get me wrong, I love those images as much as the next person, but sometimes I like to see an image that is subdued.

    grey

    Looking at this image from Altered Designs you may not even notice any modifications.  I know I didn’t.  I took me almost a full minute to see the anchors on her back for corseting.  Once I saw them of course, I couldn’t miss them again.  The photo, and the piercing job, combined to make this image both about the modification, and not at all about it.  Just because this woman doesn’t have the most noticeable mods we’ve ever seen on ModBlog, it doesn’t detract at all from quality of the image.

    You see, as much as I love seeing modifications that can best be described as being on a large scale, a nuanced image like this can really remind me that modifications aren’t just about getting the biggest and best.  They’re about altering your body to the way you want.  I’m not going to go on about that point, as I covered it yesterday, but you can see in this image a person whose mods are visible, yet they blend in with her.  They have become an extension of who she is, and we can look past the superficial trappings of modern expectations towards modifications, and see her for who she is:  A woman who just happens to have mods as part of who she is.

    Personally I had a moment a few years ago when someone asked me a question about one of my tattoos.  For a moment I was puzzled at the question.  Not about the question itself, but the fact that I had completely forgot that the tattoo wasn’t always there.  I have had it so long, it is just my skin to me.  My mod has become just a natural extension of of my self, to the point that I can’t remember what it was like before then.  So when faced with a question about it, I blanked simply because it seemed odd to me that someone would ask me a question about something that to me had felt like it was always there.

    Have you had a moment like that?  The first time you realized that your mods have become a permanent extension of yourself and you forgot that they were even there?

  • Who knew saving the rainforest could be fun

    Written by

    Rob

    So picture this:  You’re sitting at home, thinking to yourself, “Self, I think I want to save some animals today”.  Now you’re stuck because it’s not like you can just run outside and physically protect an endangered animal, especially if the animal is one of those cute fuzzy ones that can rip your throat out in a heartbeat.  So what can you possibly do?

    Well, donating money is definitely a great way to help out, and heck, for most donations you get a tax write-off.  So you should probably do that.  But what if that doesn’t satisfy you?  There must be something you can do that wouldn’t take you to a far away country living in the wilderness.

    Well what about getting a tattoo?  I’m sure one or two ModBlog readers have some of those.  Actually I’d hope so, or else all the tattoo pictures I’ve posted are going to waste.

    Back to the helping animals thing.  It turns out two separate organizations on opposite sides of the globe have found a way to turn getting a tattoo into something that can help the planet.

    ian-oliver-41

    First, there’s TATZOO, an eco-contest that promises free tattoos in exchange for help protecting endangered species! Fifteen finalists were selected on Aug. 5 based on their ideas for raising awareness about the leatherback turtle, California condor, or other endangered species local to the Bay area. Those tattoo-loving finalists now need to engage at least 100 people with their idea — for which they’ll be rewarded with a free tattoo of their endangered species, inked by locally famous tattoo artists.

    And farther away in Melbourne, a three-day tattoo convention called Rites of Passage Festival calls all tattoo-loving environmentalists to enjoy art and music along with environmental education (via The Green Life). According to the website, the festival will showcase eco-friendly tattoo supplies — and raise funds for rain forests

    In the case of the Rites of Passage Festival (not to be confused with the lovely boys and girls in the suspension crew), 100% of their proceeds go towards the charity.  So if you happen to be in or around Melbourne at the end of January, head on over.  You never know, you could save a spider monkey from being run over by clear cutting operation.

    Personally, I’ve donated money to a couple of charities over the years.  I know the WWF has a program where you can buy a stuffed animal with the money going to save the real version of the animal.  I hope George “The Animal” Steele got the money ok.  That green tongue of his won’t change color on its own.  Do any of you have a favorite charity you help out when you can?  Is there a reason why you chose that one in particular?

  • On the front lines

    Written by

    Rob

    I’ve been where you are now and I know just how you feel. It’s entirely natural that there should beat in the breast of every one of you a hope and desire that some day you can use the skill you have acquired here.

    Suppress it! You don’t know the horrible aspects of war. I’ve been through two wars and I know. I’ve seen cities and homes in ashes. I’ve seen thousands of men lying on the ground, their dead faces looking up at the skies. I tell you, war is Hell!

    –William Tecumseh Sherman

    Before I begin this post, I want to take a moment to address some criticisms that may occur in the comment section.  The following post is not meant as a political statement in any way.  Nor is it an endorsement of any armed conflict.  This is about those people who choose to do what they believe in, regardless of the thoughts of others.

    I don’t think in any period of documented history that there has been a time where the entire globe was at peace.  Wars have been waged since the dawn of mankind, and will probably continue on long after everyone reading this is gone.  While the reason wars occur vary widely, there is one constant in every conflict: the soldiers.  The men and women who are either forced into service, born and raised in it, or volunteer for it, all have one thing in common.  These men and women all put their lives on the line for a greater cause.  Granted we have the luxury of looking back on the past and are able to place our own judgement on the validity of the causes, but in the moment, these people took a stand when ordered.

    I realize that ModBlog has a global audience, but for the time being I’m going to be focusing on the US soldiers currently stationed in Afghanistan.  These brave soldiers have chosen to put their lives on the line for their country.  Whether you believe that the war is justified, or should be stopped entirely, for the time being, these people are out there facing death each day.  I know there are a lot of members (former and active) of the armed forces that read ModBlog, and hopefully some will be willing to share their stories with us.  The reason I say this is because TIME Magazine recently did a photo essay on a number of troops stationed in Afghanistan.  The one thing these men have in common is their love of tattoos.  I hesitate to claim they love other mods, simply because I’m positive military regulations prevent them from possessing certain modifications such as piercings, and there’s no way to ascertain their personal feelings regarding modifications.  That said, these men are on the front lines every day, and the shadow of death is constantly overhead.  Here’s how some of them cope with their feelings about the situation they’re in.

    marines_tattoos_011

    Sergeant Paul Williams, 20

    During a recent embed with Marines in Marjah, Afghanistan, photographer Mauricio Lima asked the men to share the stories behind their tattoos. Williams’ back features two bulldogs, animals frequently used to represent “Devil Dogs,” a nickname commonly applied to the Marines. The words on his shoulders are from the Dire Straits song “Brothers in Arms.”

    Like I said earlier, no matter your personal feelings towards the current conflict in Afghanistan, there are men and women out there choosing to put their lives at risk for what they believe in, and for their friends and family back home.  So take a moment to think about these soldiers, the people, who are standing up and living their lives how they want to.  The way I see it, these soldiers are not only modifying their bodies to be who they want to be, but they’ve taken things a step further than a lot of other people who modify themselves; they have completely transformed their bodies and minds to become their own ideal.  The way I see it, even if you don’t agree with the war, these soldiers are brave in not only standing up for what they believe in, but also for taking extreme steps to modify their minds and bodies.

  • Tuesday’s grey…

    Written by

    Rob

    There’s something inherently beautiful about a greyscale tattoo.  Especially one as well done as this lion that Metalmegan uploaded, which was done by Kyzer from Mainstreet Tattoo in Ohio.

    lion

    The shading, particularly around the mouth is incredible.

    I think part of the appeal of a well done portrait/greyscale tattoo, is the ability to really capture the essence of the subject matter.  It’s often possible to see a portrait done that appears to have been done with charcoal, and not a needle.  Obviously in the close-up of the middle image you can see the stippling from the needle, but in the image on the right they’ve disappeared as it healed.

    Now we’ve all seen those bad tattoo blogs where there’s the image of a portrait side by side with a picture of the subject and they look nothing alike, or worse, they look like the subject only made ugly.  Thankfully this isn’t the case here.  It does make me wonder though, what would happen if I got a portrait done, and it turned out horrible.  As is the case with a tattoo like this, it really is in the hands of the artists to bring the image to life.  It’s one thing to look at the stencil in the mirror and see it look like a perfect outline of the picture, but it all depends on the artist to really bring it to life.  The shading and detail work are the things that really matter, and by the looks of the image, it’s something Kyzer has managed to pull off.

    If you head over to the nature and wildlife galleries you can take a look at the full sized image, to get a closer look at some of the finer details.

  • Spiritual transformation

    Written by

    Rob

    “It is very good to recite the mantra Om mani padme hum, but while you are doing it, you should be thinking on its meaning, for the meaning of the six syllables is great and vast… The first, Om […] symbolizes the practitioner’s impure body, speech, and mind; it also symbolizes the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha[…]”

    “The path is indicated by the next four syllables. Mani, meaning jewel, symbolizes the factors of method: (the) altruistic intention to become enlightened, compassion, and love.[…]”

    “The two syllables, padme, meaning lotus, symbolize wisdom[…]”

    “Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolized by the final syllable hum, which indicates indivisibility[…]”

    “Thus the six syllables, om mani padme hum, mean that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha[…]”

    – H.H. Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama, “Om Mani Padme Hum”

    Spirituality and modifications have been linked together since the beginning of documented history.  Be it through rites of passage, or devotional modifications, the concept of altering ones body to attain a higher form of spirituality isn’t new.  As times changed, practices faded into obscurity, to the point where some are no longer even practiced at all.  Thankfully the modification community has arisen to resurrect these forgotten rituals.  Today these modifications are performed all over the world, and many for different reasons other than the original intentions.  The practices are also much safer, as we have learned how to adapt them to the modern equipment that we have available.  That isn’t to say that these rituals aren’t being performed in traditional ways as well, as they are very much alive and well all over.

    One of unique abilities we have living when we do now, is that we have access to the knowledge from cultures and civilizations from around the globe.  We can now blend together practices that possibly would never have encountered each other historically.   Go to any Suscon and you’ll see any number of people sporting modifications from multiple cultures, while being suspended from hooks, another ritual that has carried on to modern times.

    So where does that leave us now?  Simply put, in a great place.  We have this knowledge that has been amassed for centuries and are able to apply it to ourselves as we see fit.  So while centuries ago a culture would expect its people to all have facial tattoos, and another would incorporate large lip plates, now a person can have both without even being part of the original culture.  We have the freedom to do with our bodies as we see fit, for whatever reason we determine.  Which brings me to the following photo from our cutting gallery.

    Johnkid created this image of a lotus with the om mani padme hum mantra.  While this may not be the first such scar featured on ModBlog, it is worthwhile to note that as a form of meditation, Buddhists will spend time carving mantras into stone or other objects.  What the recipient as done is taken two aspects of of their beliefs and merged them into something for themselves.

    mantra

    Do you have any modifications that have a spiritual connection to yourself?  Or is the process of getting modified a way for you to get in touch with some deeper meaning in your life?

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