I’ve been pretty busy and with a new school year upon us, things are only going to get more hectic. I’d love to be able to post to ModBlog more often but I don’t have the time to devote to writing up some great entries right now. That said, as I was moderating photos this afternoon, I happened upon this one and couldn’t resist.
I love the juxtaposition between the hard steel hooks in his back and the tenderness of the moment this couple is sharing. The photos were submitted by John_Wayne_Harlyquin and I’m not sure if he’s the guy in the photos or the person who took them but I’m glad he decided to share this with BME. This photo, for me, is such a true representation of BME with giant hooks piercing through flesh and a couple about to kiss. The normalcy we experience when we’re together makes me forget that the rest of the world doesn’t look at body modification the way that we do.
The rest of the set of photos that were submitted can be found here.
I hope you all enjoy this long weekend and the last bit of real freedom for awhile for those of you heading back to classes next week.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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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