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BME™

Body Modification Ezine – Est. 1994

  • BLEED LIKE ME

    by

    Jonathon

    This weekend BME will travel to San Fransisco’s 465 Collective to document, witness, and celebrate the opening reception of BLEED LIKE ME, a gallery exhibition curated by Lindsay Kincaid uniting twelve artists around the art and rituals of body suspension. The opening reception will take place this Saturday and features a live performance by the always remarkable Hilary Whitmore.

    On a more personal note, I feel incredibly humbled by the fact that my own photography will hang inside this gallery alongside several other artists I know and respect. This will be my first gallery exhibition and I could not think of a better subject matter for my work. Between directing BME’s revival project, rebuilding BME as a platform and sustainable business, and my own personal migrations I haven’t had a moment to step back and process how all this actually feels. It doesn’t even feel real to be honest. Having the opportunity to rebuild BME alongside my own passions in the same stream is a dream come true.

    Doors will be open at 6:00pm!  Hilary Whitmore will be performing during the opening with an estimated start time of 7:30 or 8:00 pm.  

    We’ll have a few refreshments on hand opening night to tide folks over.  If you’re not local to the area and looking for a full meal prior to popping in, there will be plenty of options in the Mission.

  • Project Phoenix – BME’s Revival

    by

    Jonathon

    A few weeks ago I had the privilege of presenting our vision for the future of BME at BMXnet in Berlin. This was my first public representation as a member of Team BME and now the Director of this project, though I have worked on BME behind the scenes since 2002. In that talk I shared some of our historic challenges and how they relate to our current status, the shape of legal issues we are facing today, and the strategy for our revival.

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  • Meet the Makers: Tawapa

    by

    Tori

    Phoebe Minona’s Tawapa is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, but the company is still having new firsts. From its start as an early vendor of bone and horn jewelry to now pushing technical boundaries with its first-ever titanium line, Tawapa has always tried to stay one step ahead. Leveraging a decades long passion for jewelry, a background in cultural anthropology, and boundless creativity, Phoebe hints that she’s far from finished taking Tawapa — and body jewelry — to new places.

    I talked to Phoebe about Tawapa’s new titanium line, her design process, and her journey into the body jewelry industry.

    This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

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  • Meet the Makers: Modern Mood Body Jewelry

    by

    Tori

    When Modern Mood Body Jewelry founders Monica Bern and Michelle Ma started working together at a fine jewelry store, they never expected to wind up running their own body jewelry business. But after a very successful visit to the Tucson Gem Show and inspiration from the ear constellation trend, they started down the path to creating today’s Modern Mood: a playful, minimalist jewelry brand built for mixing and matching. 

    I talked to Michelle and Monica about starting Modern Mood, the transition to body jewelry, and their creative process. 

    Monica Bern and Michelle Ma, founders of Modern Mood Body Jewelry. Photo by John Balk.

    This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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  • Meet the Makers: Brien 9 Fingers

    by

    Tori

    Can’t find the jewelry you need? Why not make it? That’s how Brien (Brien 9 Fingers) got started making glass jewelry 12 years ago. Now, he’s a full-time glassworker who makes custom pieces, single-flare plugs, and pendants, including piercing-inspired pieces like pendants with needles or acrylic body jewelry. Glass plugs are a staple in jewelry cases or for anyone with larger gauge piercings, so I talked to Brien about how he got started making them, how it grew into a business, and what he likes about glassworking.

    Single flares by Brien.

    This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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How to Support BME

BME’s past, present, and future are fundamentally driven by its community – and that is why support from people like you is so crucial. For nearly three decades, BME has been built on the contributions of enthusiasts worldwide. It is not backed by any big corporation or mainstream media company; it runs on passion, creativity, and the belief that sharing our stories can change lives. The content that fills BME – the images of beautiful tattoos, the detailed write-ups of piercing experiences, the interviews with modification artists – all come from the community itself.

Supporting BME means continuing this cycle of contribution and inspiration. Whether you are submitting your own story or simply engaging with others, you are helping sustain an invaluable trove of knowledge and a supportive network for current and future generations of body mod enthusiasts.

How to support BME →

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