On August 1, 2018, the piercing community grieved the passing of one of its greatest piercing pioneers, Roland Loomis aka Fakir Musafar. Just nine days shy of his 88th birthday, vibrant, and productive until very near the end, it is difficult to wrap one’s head around the breadth of his cultural contributions!
In honor and celebration of Fakir Musafar’s life, the Body Piercing Archive (BPA) will present, Fakir Musafar: In Pursuit of the Spirit. This will be the most comprehensive exhibit that has ever been seen on Fakir’s art and legacy. Over 2,000 square feet will be staged with his original iconic images and fabricated sculptures made famous over eight decades of accumulated artwork and Body Play. Many items have never been on public display. The show will run from Monday May 13 through Thursday May 17, 2019, at Planet Hollywood, in Las Vegas, from 10 am to 6 pm.
Specially selected docents were chosen to lead tours. Each guide has known Fakir for decades and in different contexts. We encourage you to attend as many of the tours as you can for new information and differing perspectives. Docents bring the material to life, so don’t miss out!
The highlights of the BPA program occurs on Wednesday, May 16. The day’s program begins at 10 am with the world premiere presentation by Jim Ward, Fakir & Me, a one and a half hour lecture that gives an overview to their historically important, yet complex, personal relationship. Then at 12:30 pm, the legendary Annie Sprinkle will give her inaugural APP presentation, Take a Walk on the Wild Side, in which Annie discusses the impact their meeting had on both of their personal lives and careers. The day wraps up with Fakir Musafar: an Evening of Remembrance and Celebration, with presentations by Ken Coyote and Dustin Allor of the Fakir Intensives, Allen Falkner, and the keynote speaker, Fakir’s life partner for more than 30 years, Cleo Dubois. The evening program runs from 6 pm to 8:30 pm and is open to all.
Exhibit Hours:
- Monday 10 am–6 pm
- Tuesday 10 am–6 pm
- Wednesday 10 am–6 pm
- Thursday 10 am–6 pm
“To not have encumberments, to not have
holes in your body, to not have tattoos may be
debilitating—this is something people have to
consider…being comfortable isn’t necessarily
living a “good” life—that’s the myth, but
it’s not true. Living an uncomfortable life is
sometimes far more satisfactory that a placid,
bovine existence…People may be missing
beautiful, rich experiences because of cultural
biases and conceit.”
—V. Vale and Andrea Juno,
Modern Primitives, 1989, 15.
Monday Docent Tours:
Paul King 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Ian Bishop 1 pm–2 pm
Allen Falkner 2:30 pm–3:30 pm
Dustin Allor 4 pm–5 pm
Tuesday Docent Tours:
Cody Vaughn 10 am–11 am
Paul King 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Ian Bishop 1 pm–2 pm
Betty Ann Peed 2:30 pm–3:30 pm
Jef Saunders 4 pm–5 pm
“Body Play is a process that courts unusual feelings and states of consciousness which,
in the end, result in elevated consciousness (we know something we didn’t know before).
In practice, Body Play is aimed at increasing ‘body awareness.’ That is to make one increasingly aware of one or more distinct body parts. You pierce an ear, you are aware that
it exists. You constrict the torso with a tight corset and you are constantly aware that it
exists. When the new ‘body state’ feels ‘natural’, the effect is heightened to again bring
back the desired state of ‘body awareness’ (the ear piercing is stretched larger, the corset
tightened). Finally, no matter how extreme you apply the ‘change of state’ that change
feels natural and you are empowered.”—Fakir Musafar, Body Play, v. 1 no. 1, 1992.
Wednesday Docent Tours:
Cynthia Wright 10 am–11 am
Ken Coyote 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Yossi Silverman 1 pm–2 pm
Grin 2:30 pm–3:30 pm
Annie Sprinkle 4 pm–5 pm
An Evening of Remembrance & Celebration
6 pm–8:30 pm with Ken Coyote, Dustin Allor,
Allen Falkner, and keynote speaker, Cleo
Dubois presenting Fakir, the Bigger Picture.
Thursday Docent Tours:
Grin 10 am–11 am
Paul King 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Allen Falkner 1 pm–2 pm
Cynthia Wright 2:30 pm–3:30 pm
Ken Coyote 4 pm–5 pm
