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

  • Checkmate

    Written by

    Rob

    A few months back Jen posted a picture that got more than a few mouths watering.  Well it turns out the young man in that image, IAM: Arseniy Andersson is so much more than a pretty face.  While we all appreciate his modelling pictures, back at home in St. Petersburg, Russia he is also known for being a piercer and performance artist.  I’m not entirely sure of the story behind these images, but from what I can tell Arseniy threw the hooks for what appears to be some form of photo/video shoot.

    checkmate1

    Of course the question is, was the chessboard part of the shoot, or was it just something being used to kill time?  Photos of suspensions always seem to capture such fantastic moments.  I suppose when you know the subject isn’t going to be going anywhere, the photographer can really set themselves up for a beautiful picture.  So while it may be a couple suspended tandem over a stream, or a good looking guy playing chess while in an abandoned warehouse, the opportunity for an interesting image is always present.

    Keep on reading to see a closeup of the man playing black.

    checkmate2

    If you want to check out more great images of people suspending, head on over to the suspension galleries and check them out.

    While you do that, here’s a question to ponder:  If you could do any activity while suspending, what would it be?

  • The Inner Eye

    Written by

    Rob

    I always like to save something special for my last post of the week, and I think you won’t be disappointed with what I found for you today.

    First and foremost, I want to give you a little background on the man who inspired this piece.  You may or may not have heard the name Alex Grey before, although you probably have seen some of his work.  As one of the most distinctive artists in the past 50 years, his work explores spirituality through visionary art, a form of psychedelic art.  I’m definitely not an expert in art theory, so I won’t try to explain his works in-depth, but what I can tell you is that his art has a profound effect on the majority of people who see it.  For many people the first time they might have seen some of his work was on the album art for Tool’s Lateralus album.  Since then Alex has worked with the band, in addition to his own works, and has produced not only album art, but also set designs for their live shows and even created the visuals for this video.  One of Alex’s major works, The Sacred Mirrors, has been turned into a gallery exhibit known as the Chapel of the Sacred Mirrors.  A film was made about the gallery, and features interviews with Alex as he explains his paintings.

    Of course with his art focusing on spiritual transformation, he easily became a natural inspiration for modification artists.  Gabriel Cece, from Studio Evolve Tattoo in Virginia Beach, VA, recently created this piece that is an interpretation of Alex’s work.

    alexgrey

    The art of modification is strongly linked to a transformative spirituality, where the individual regardless of the personal reasoning behind it, transforms their body on a physical level to achieve some internal satisfaction.  This piece in particular speaks volumes towards this transformation, as the eyes placed on the transparent hands show the inner self looking out on the world.  The spirituality of self is viewing the outside world, and is changing the external self to reflect the thoughts and feelings of the inside.

    I think I should stop myself there, as I could probably go on for hours about the beauty of this piece of art.  With the new gallery system on BME, you’re able to leave a comment directly on the page of the image, so if you wish to share your thoughts on this with Gabriel, head over to the religious and mythological tattoo gallery and leave a comment.

  • Bird of Paradise

    Written by

    Rob

    The myth of the bird of paradise stems from an old Sufi fable about the Huma bird.  It is said that the bird is always in flight, never coming to rest, and is often believed to not even possess legs.  Tales of the Huma bird can be traced throughout various cultures, and in all cases the bird is seen as a good omen, bringing wealth, prosperity, and good health.  Stories go on to describe the bird as having both male and female attributes, while others link it directly to the myth of the phoenix.  The meaning of course can shift depending on the culture, yet themes of eternal life and renewal tend to be the strongest.

    As for the real birds of paradise, these beautiful animals are still alive in the world, although they are considered a threatened species due to hunting and deforestation.

    Given the beauty of the birds, and the link to a myth about rebirth and transformation, it should be no wonder that this scarification piece by John Joyce looks fantastic.

    bird of paradise

    The reasons the person chose to get this piece are their own, yet something can be said to the process of the cutting and the scar that will follow.  In essence the person is becoming reborn with a new sense of being.  The skin that was removed is gone forever, yet something new and beautiful will take its place.  Like the phoenix, the person has undergone a rebirth, coming out on the other side a transformed person.

    John himself is no stranger to creating brilliant pieces of art, as you can easily see in his own gallery on BME.

  • On the road with Steve Haworth

    Written by

    Rob

    A certain Mr. Crumbs let me know that the legendary Steve Haworth is hitting the road this fall, and is taking his act across the pond to a number of cities in Europe.  If you don’t know who Steve is then you owe it to yourself to find out.  As for where and when Steve will be appearing, here’s a handy list to help you with your travel plans.

    steve-europe-flyer-two

    Steve will be appearing at the Primal Arts Festival in Maryland September 3-6, and doing all four of his seminars and participating in suspensions. Visit our Seminars page to register for the seminars. Contact us at [email protected] for appointments. This should be an exciting mix of the body mod world with kink and alternative lifestyles.

    Steve will be doing an in-store appearance at INFINITE BODY PIERCING in Philadelphia, PA September 6-7. If you would like to make an appointment, please contact us.

    Steve has finalized his European tour plans! He will be appearing at CALM Bodymodification in Stockholm Sep 10-11, Copenhagen Body Extremes Sep 13-14, BMXnet Conference in Berlin Sept 16-19, Trust Mannheim Sep 21-23, the London Tattoo Convention Sep 25, Self Sacrifice in London Sep 26-27, and Ghirigori Family studio in Oggiono, Italy Sept 29-30.

    Steve will be presenting all four of his seminars at the BMXnet Conference, and at Self Sacrifice September 26-27. Visit the BMXnet page for more info and to register for BMX. More info will be posted soon on how to register for the London seminars.

    Steve will be at Sanchez Ink Tattoo and Body Piercing in Fontana, CA on October 15-16. So if you’re in the LA area and have been wanting a mod from Steve, this would be a good opportunity. Please email [email protected] to make an appointment.

    Modification practitioners and enthusiasts alike can benefit greatly from Steve’s seminars, so I highly recommend taking the time to go see him if you’re able to.  Also, with Steve performing some modifications near the end of his tour you have the rare opportunity to be modified by one of the finest practitioners in the world.  While Steve’s works can be seen in several galleries on BMEzine.com, a good place to start looking would be his own scarification gallery.  For those who are subscribers to the surgical areas, the implant section is always a great place to check out some of Steve’s other work.

  • International Logo Spotting

    Written by

    Rob

    A little while ago I received the following video in my inbox.  If you have the same language barrier that I have, you’ll want to skip to the 1:55 mark to see the relevant portion of the video.

    This news piece was filmed in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine at a tattoo festival a couple of weeks ago.  ModBlog reader Mark sent this in along with this picture of the completed piece.

    logo

    Of course the BME Logo has found its way on to many people from all over the world, as you can see in the BME Logo tattoo gallery.  To think that it’s been over 15 years since the late Scott Fox first designed the logo, and while he may not have lived to see how widespread his image would become, his memory is still alive in the hearts of those who knew him, and I’m sure seeing his design carried all over the would makes them proud to have known him.

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