BME: Body Modification Ezine

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Celebrating body modification culture since 1994.

Category: ModBlog

  • And you know your heart, well it’s an idiot heart

    Written by

    Rob

    This scarification piece by Ighlif got me thinking that this is a clever reference to a song, or I’m just reading too much into the imagery.

    In either case, the fresh cutting combined with the text underneath was really eye-catching.  I’m always curious as to how a scar will turn out, but in this case I am doubly so, as the contrast between the two stands out so well.  Given how well the last scar of Ighlif’s we featured turned out, I think the recipient is in for a beautiful looking scar.

    heart

    You can find the full sized image here, as well as other works by Ighlif in the scarification galleries.

  • The Flower of Life

    Written by

    Rob

    Aesthetics can often play a large part in the appreciation of a mod.  Not always mind you, but often enough that it’s fair to say that it is quite commonplace.

    The beauty of an aesthetic judgment is that it is subject to personal interpretation.  For example one person may love the look of multiple facial piercings, while another may not.  There is no right or wrong answer in this situation because human beings, as individuals aren’t locked into a single mindset as to what is pleasing to the eye.  Obviously in the case of animals, mate selection is a primary motivation, and many species have adapted/evolved to the point where mate selection comes down to which potential mate displays the proper requires traits the best.

    Now I realize that a lot of this is pretty common knowledge, and I do have a reason for bringing all this up.  The Flower of Life is a geometric figure that has been linked to almost every culture ever known to man.  For different people, the image means different things, but most recognize the inherent power of the symbol.  One variation of the Flower of Life is that of Metatron’s Cube.  The cube is thought to be a visual representation of the basic building blocks of the universe, right down to a single atom.  So it was no wonder that while I was browsing the BME galleries my eye was drawn to this tattoo uploaded by Atrocity Exhibition.

    metatron's cube

    If you look closely, you can see that not only is the image painstakingly geometric, but the spaces between the lines are filled in not with a solid color, but with very small black dots.  This symbol, combined with the flower atop it, really stood out to me as one of the finest examples of blackwork I’ve seen in a very long time.

    The picture was taken the day after it was done, and I’m really curious as to see how it will look when it’s fully healed.

  • Up, up, down down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start

    Written by

    Rob

    I like to think that when it comes to video games, I was born in the perfect year.  You see, when I turned 8, the Nintendo Entertainment System hit stores in North America.  I was definitely the target audience the marketers had in mind.  Two years prior I had gotten hooked on G.I. JOE and Transformers, this year, Nintendo owned my soul.  As kids my age grew, so did the video games.  8-bit became 16-bit, then 32, 64, and so on.

    Today there is an entire generation of people who were raised on Mario and Link.  They in turn are now raising their children in a world where owning multiple top of the line gaming systems is almost the norm.

    So it should come as no surprise that when we feel nostalgic, we think back to our favorite NES games.  Personally, River City Ransom will always hold a special place in my heart.  Which probably explains why I’m so fired up to see the Scott Pilgrim film.

    For those not familiar with Mr. Pilgrim.  The premise is simple, boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy must defeat girl’s seven evil exes to win girl’s heart.  Ok, so maybe a little more complicated.  What really drew me in (aside from the fact that it’s based in Toronto) was the entire series is jam-packed with NES references.

    Now because I’m looking forward to the film, I decided to see what our geek tattoo galleries had in terms of 8 and 16 bit tattoos.  I was not disappointed at all.

    nes4

    nes3

    nes2

    nes5

    nes1

    So fess up.  What was your favorite Nintendo game?  I know you all have played with a Nintendo at least once before.

  • ,

    Did someone say BBQ?

    Written by

    Rob

    “Grilling, broiling, barbecuing – whatever you want to call it – is an art, not just a matter of building a pyre and throwing on a piece of meat as a sacrifice to the gods of the stomach.” James Beard, ‘Beard on Food’ (1974)

    So rumor has it that SoCal BME members have been getting together once a year for the past decade to enjoy an afternoon around the grill.  Another rumor floating around is that this year’s BBQ is happening THIS WEEKEND!

    So whether you’re a long time BME vet, or brand new to the community, you’re more than welcome to stop by Presidio Park in San Diego this saturday and partake in the festivities.

    flier

    If you have any questions, feel free to drop Midian2000 or Shaman a line on IAM, Facebook, or e-mail.

    It’s too bad I won’t be in town.  I would have loved to have the chance to cook up another Bacon Explosion for people.

  • Back to school!

    Written by

    Rob

    Well modified parents, it’s about that time of year when you can finally celebrate.  In a few short weeks, the youngsters will be heading back to school, letting you call in sick to work and enjoy a silent few hours at home before the bell rings.

    But before the quiet can settle in, there still is the matter of the dreaded back to school shopping.  Things have changed over the years when it comes to shopping for the little (and not-so little) ones.  Many moons ago, parents would help the kids pick up supplies; pens, notebooks, backpacks, etc., and probably pick up a new outfit or two for the first day of school.  Nowadays, things are a little different.

    In a recent American Express survey, notebooks and clothes are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fall spending.

    schoolbus

    Clothing, shoes and school supplies were the top three categories, making the shopping lists of more than 80 percent of consumers. Other popular categories include books (43 percent), sports equipment (24 percent) and healthcare (23 percent).

    But parents also had some more discretionary purchases in mind, with nearly half saying they planned to spend on cosmetic services for their kids. Of that group, respondents were divided among manicures and pedicures (24 percent), teeth whitening (18 percent), spa services (12 percent), waxing (11 percent) and tattoos (9 percent).

    Yep, you read that right.  9 percent of the people polled in the survey had planned in their budget a new tattoo for their offspring.  I know that for years now body modifications have been becoming more and more acceptable in mainstream society, and you can call me old fashioned, but I think I would probably not give my kids money for a tattoo if the only justification was that it was to show off for the new school year.

    So ModBlog reader, what are your thoughts?  Would you get your children a new mod for the first day of school, or would you rather spend the money on something banal, like spa services and teeth whitening?  Actually come to think of it, I’d probably be a little creeped out if my kids asked me for money to get waxed before hopping on the bus.

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