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.

Category: ModBlog

  • 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.

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    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.

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    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.

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    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.

  • Is THIS the smile of a homicidal maniac?

    Written by

    Sean Philips

    I would think not. I am sure modblog readers, as well as the readers of many other blogs as well as viewers of the George Lopez show remember Jesse from the recent media circus surrounding his arrest.

    However, this is modblog, so focus on the body mods for a bit.

    It’s no wonder he’s smiling, look how absolutely amazingly the “Trojan War Helmet” ECU (electro cautery unit) branding has healed up. The scalp is NOT an easy spot to get to scar, trust me I have tried. Yet these brands by Steve Haworth just look astonishing and really add a new dimension to his already impressive collection of body mods.

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