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

  • A note from Ron

    Written by

    Sean Philips

    Ron messaged me and asked if I could repost the entry on the rotisserie suspension with an added note of warning. I explained to him that reposting  the exact same post wouldn’t fly. However, in that exact same day I was shown a video of a recent suspension performance where a guy suspending suicide fell. I couldn’t quite make out if the rope broke or a knot came untied but either way it was an easily avoidable mistake. Luckily, for all involved, the suspendee was hanging fairly low and in an upright position so there was minimal chance of injury.

    Nonetheless, seeing that video  more than justified me posting Ron’s updated note of caution (regarding the rotisserie suspension video):

    When you see the clip, all you may see is the awesomeness of a rotating suspension.. what you DON’T see is all the time , research, planning and practice going into this.. When you watch the clip, you will also see my dear friend Richard Nunez during one of these show practices where he flew off the rig and had to be taken to the hospital for a concussion and sutures. As scary as it was to deal with , it was even scarier to be the one responsible for what happened and to have hurt a member of my family like that.

    This episode is a VERY LARGE part of why I feel the way I do about suspension safety these days. Sure we weren’t doing normal suspensions.. but neither is a lot of the stuff going on these days either.. The time has come to step and bring safety into the 21st century as well!”

    Kids, respect your elders.

  • Good work in bad conditions

    Written by

    Sean Philips

    Jawn sent me the photo of a flesh removal piece he did in less than ideal conditions. I am a big fan of simple geometric design scars and this one has extra sentimental value because it looks like a (better done) version of my first ever flesh removal attempt I did many moons ago.

    0at8qyrt

    She has been asking me for that for months. Then her shop burns down. Then I’m in an old soviet era apartment, one light bulb that went out right before I started, so I waited till the morning…… Going on missions for supplies since all her’s burnt up, shitty Russian scalpels, straight chlorohexidine from the pharmacy to clean her, can’t read shit, everythings in Cyrillic, where there is a will there is a way!!!!

  • Makeup, wardrobe, haircut, and of course….a lip sewing

    Written by

    Sean Philips

    As the BME World Tour crew is busy playing working in Australia, I thought it would be fitting to feature a picture from the land down under.

    lip

    This lip sewing comes to us courtesy of Rob at Polymorph Body Piercing in Sydney.

    Thank to Mandic for informing me the model is V.

  • Charges laid in Canadian tattoo studio closure.

    Written by

    Lexci Million

    A tattoo studio owner in Edmonton,  Alberta, Canada who’s studio was ordered closed by local health board in 2009 has now made industry history after pleading guilty to about a dozen charges including one count of obstruction, eight counts of failing to maintain records, and one nuisance count.

    Zipp’s Tattoo and Museum was shut down by Alberta Health Services last year after undercover inspectors responded to complaints of tattoo services being offered in deplorable conditions. Inspectors found filthy, dusty surfaces, used needles and tattoo tubes and inappropriate, outdated sterilization equipment.  Since there was no documentation of client files and sterilization records, a public notice was issued for anyone who was tattooed at Zipp’s to be tested for pathogens.

    Provincial Court Judge Ferne LeReverend told Zipp’s owner, Eric Anderson, that his disregard for the health of his clients “shocking” and slapped him with fines totaling $12,880. This was the first successful prosecution under the Alberta Personal Services Regulation.

    David Vidra, Body Modification industry Educator and CEO of Health Educators Inc applauds Alberta Health Services and commends Alberta’s health inspectors for their close involvement in Alberta’s local industry.

    “It’s a shame it had to come to a lawsuit like this,” says Vidra in response to charges, “Education is  available to artists.  This does not only affect the artist who was charged but every artist in our industry  and the public.”

    Health Educators offers relevant education for body modification artists across the board and encourages studios and artists to keep up to date on industry standards. Health Educators is one of the only body modification industry specific companies offering education to artists and full studio evaluation and setup on a global level. Vidra urges artists and studio owners to educate themselves constantly so the body art industry can continue to be viewed by the public in a positive light.

    Let’s hope this message strikes a cord to basement scratchers and professional artists alike that lack of education and safe studio set up are vital to keeping the body art industry a legitimate trade and that those negligent few will be made an example of.
    Clients seeking safe body art should be supporting artists who have taken the time to know how to use the required equipment and aseptic techniques to run a safe studio.

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    One Hour Tattoo – Ran Maclurkin

    Written by

    Rachel

    I’m not sure what I was thinking when I decided to get tattooed again but the day we were leaving Melbourne, I had to let Trevor finish what he had left of the background on my right calf. I wasn’t sure if he was going to have time for a second session so I had made an appointment later that same day with Ran Maclurkin of The Piercing Urge. The tour team and I had spent the day prior to the tattoo interviewing Ran, Matt and Pete for the tour videos and interviews that we’re doing. As I had explained before, I’m getting a series of skull tattoos to fill up the front and sides of my thighs while I’m out on the road. I really liked Ran‘s “Abstract Noir” style of tattooing and wanted to get a piece from him. He’d already tattooed Chez‘s thigh the day before. I decided to ask Ran if he’d do me the honor of being the second in my series of “One Hour Tattoo” video and he said yes!

    Check out the video and I hope you enjoy it!

    ran

    Due to weird inconsistencies with the “Auto-Play”, I’ve moved the video to behind the jump. Click the image to go to the post to watch the video or click more.

    The next installment of the “One Hour Tattoo” will be from Josh Roelink at TatuDharma in Sydney! No, I didn’t make these out of order, I’m heading back to Sydney for a couple days before we head off from the land of kangaroos and awesome.

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