Category Body Piercing Archives

Point 89: From the Body Piercing Archive, 2019

Dustin Allor

This past summer we lost a most iconic and beloved member of the body piercing community. It is hard to imagine what the landscape of the piercing industry would look like without Fakir Musafar. He was part of the group who brought body piercing into mainstream western culture from underground society in the 1970s. Fakir inspired countless people to become piercers, taught the skill to approximately 2,000 attendees of his piercing workshop, moved many to try suspension and urged us to claim our bodies as our own, especially through body modification. He firmly believed that piercing was sacred, magical, and could be a special moment for all involved. His life was spent spreading that message and seeking the spirit through exploring and testing the limits of his body. This year’s Body Piercing Archive exhibit unfolded many of the lives, hobbies, jobs, and performances of the multifaceted Fakir Musafar.

Walking into the exhibit was overwhelming in the best sort of way. There was so much information—so many visuals—that it was hard to know where to look. Each time I went in, there were things I hadn’t noticed previously. It would have taken me a couple of focused hours to take in all the information. The outer walls were lined with banners. The inner walls had four alcoves with various displayed items. Several banners featured large photos of Fakir embodying his different personas. There were other banners that stood out to me: the timeline that shared childhood pictures, some of influential people in his life, covers of his Body Play magazines, and collages of the group photos from nearly every class of the Fakir Intensives.

Visitors enter the exhibit.
Photo by Marina Pecorino

Then there were the alcoves. One held books and images that inspired and guided a young Fakir to try so many unconventional practices. A few items in particular caught my  eye: Fakir’s  yoga  book from the 1950s and National Geographic from Fakir’s childhood where he got the idea to perform his first piercing on himself at age 14. Another area had masks, homemade eyelets for stretching his nipple piercings, some of Fakir’s septum jewelry, and articles he had written. There was a section that had a bed of nails, a bed of blades, a kavadi frame, a suspension frame, and other inventions of Fakir’s that I’m not sure have names. Most of these devices were featured in Fakir’s early self photography. Having been born in a rural area in 1930, out of necessity he developed a resourceful and inventive ability. A large portion of the objects in the exhibit were things he made at home by hand. Rarely disposing of his creations, the BPA was able to acquire or borrow many of them from his wife, Cléo Dubois. It was fabulous to see classic Fakir photos right next to the actual items he made and was wearing in the portrait.

View of the exhibit.
Photo by Marina Pecorino

There was a screen toward the back of the exhibit playing the Mark and Dan Jury film Dances Sacred and Profane starring Fakir, Jim Ward, and Charles Gatewood. Mirroring that was a second screen dedicated to performances he had  done,  featuring video from one of his European performances. Between those was information on RE/Search #12: Modern Primitives, the publication where so many of us discovered Fakir for the first time.

View of the exhibit.
Photo by Marina Pecorino

The last alcove in the exhibit was the most solemn. The exhibit overall celebrated Fakir’s life, but the last alcove honored his death. Fakir felt that altars were important. He would make one at the end of every piercing class, a place to look to for focus, to display images and objects that had meaning to him and to help inspire a particular mindset he was looking for. The last alcove of the exhibit, with bright yellow and red walls, was an altar to Fakir. It displayed a large photo of him, photos of those close to him who had also passed, images of deities he was drawn to, fresh fragrant flowers, candles, and a few personal items like his chest spears. When he announced that he was sick and had limited time left, Fakir asked that instead of emails or phone calls, that people hand write and mail him letters if they had anything they wanted to share with him. Hundreds of letters came in and he read all the words of love and thanks before he left us. A selection of those cards were strung from the center back wall of the alcove, extending to either side of the door, framing the altar and giving the space a sense of depth, layers, and sentiment.

Fakir’s memorial altar at the APP Conference, 2019.
Photo by Marina Pecorino

Fakir was so many people wrapped up in one. It was impossible to know everything and everyone he had been in his life. Depending on how you knew him, you would connect and learn about different aspects of his personality and interests, hearing different stories of his past. In addition to all the visuals in the exhibit, docents who were personally known to Fakir gave tours. Each had unique experiences and insight on who Fakir was, having known him in a variety of circles and points of his life. Several of the instructors from the Fakir Intensives gave tours, as well as friends of Fakir’s including Allen Falkner and Annie Sprinkle. Each offered unique flavors, new insight and things to learn about Fakir. Hearing their stories really brought Fakir’s memory to life in a vivid interactive way and I wish I could have seen all the tours.

Annie Sprinkle conducting a tour of the exhibit.
Photo by Marina Pecorino

Working closely with Fakir’s wife, Cléo, the BPA team put together an amazing and moving exhibit. Fakir was always touched and awed by the gratitude, credit, and honor people extended to him. I think he would be absolutely blown away and speechless by the beautiful display and celebration of his life that portrayed so much of who he was. To Paul King, Becky Dill, Devin Ruiz, and all your behind the scenes helpers, thank you for all your hard work in putting together such a rich and beautiful commemoration of Fakir’s life. It was wonderful to get to celebrate Fakir’s life together with the bulk of the piercing community this year at the APP Conference.

Dustin Allor & Fakir Musafar

Point 88: The BPA Contributes to the Musēe de L’Homme

The Body Piercing Archive contributed material and guidance for the Piercing exhibit at the Musēe de L’Homme in Paris, France. The exhibit will run March 13, 2019 to March 9, 2020.

Project leader: Alexix Amen

Scientific Commissioner: Franz Manni

Piercing: L’ Exposition

Parallèlement à l’exposition Dans ma peau, Piercing propose un point de vue anthropologique sur le piercing. Mêlant représentations artistiques, objets préhistoriques, photographies et bijoux, l’exposition présente des pratiques du piercing depuis 45 000 ans. Différentes traditions seront abordées : des Kayapos du Brésil aux Dayaks du Bornéo, des «Primitifs Modernes» aux États-Unis aux usages contemporains.

Trouer la peau et y placer un objet visible est une pratique qui remonte à la préhistoire et dont on trouve des traces sur tous les continents, une pratique qui a perduré jusqu’à aujourd’hui. Ces modifications du corps prennent des  significations  diverses  : appartenance à un groupe, rites de passage, signes de prestige ou marques d’infamie, signes de soumission, de beauté et de force.

Si en Europe seule la boucle d’oreille semble avoir traversé les époques pour devenir une tradition bien ancrée, aujourd’hui les Occidentaux ont adopté de nouvelles modes et utilisent l’ensemble du corps comme moyen d’expression.

Parti de la Californie libertaire des années 1970, le renouveau de cette pratique ancestrale est inspiré par des précurseurs qui cherchaient à libérer le corps. Se définissant eux-mêmes comme « Primitifs Modernes », ils réinventent et réinterprètent les pratiques dans un nouveau contexte où le piercing se réalise désormais dans des conditions stériles et maîtrisées. C’est ainsi que le premier studio de piercing voit le jour en 1975.

D’abord réservée aux subcultures naissantes (gay, punk, SM), cette pratique va progressivement s’étendre à toute la société et s’imposer à l’échelle mondiale grâce à un phénomène d’imitation, soutenu par l’essor d’Internet, et s’imposer désormais sous un nom mondialisé : le piercing.

1 http://www.museedelhomme.fr/fr/programme/expositions-galerie-lhomme/piercing-3791

From prehistory to the present day, discover the variety of piercing traditions and practices around the world.

Piercing: The Exhibition

Piercing offers an anthropological perspective on piercing. Combining artistic representations, prehis- toric objects, photographs, and jewelry, the exhibition presents piercing practices for 45,000 years. Different traditions are discussed: from the Kayapos of Brazil to the Dayaks of Borneo, from the “Modern Primitives” in the United States to contemporary uses.

Finding the skin and placing a visible object on it is a practice that dates back to prehistoric times and has been found on every continent, a practice that has continued to this day. These changes in the body take on various meanings: belonging to a group, rites of pas- sage, signs of prestige or marks of infamy, signs of submission, beauty, and strength.

If in Europe only the earring seems to have crossed the ages to become a well-established tradition, today the Westerners have adopted new fashions and use the whole body as a means of expression.

Starting in liberal California in the 1970s, the renew- al of this ancestral practice was inspired by precursors who sought to liberate the body. Defining themselves as “Modern Primitives,” they reinvent and reinterpret practices in a new context where piercing is now per- formed in sterile and controlled conditions. This is how the first piercing studio was created in 1975.

Initially reserved for emerging subcultures (gay, punk, SM), this practice has gradually spread to the whole of society and impose itself on a global scale thanks to a phenomenon of imitation, supported by the rise of the Internet, and now impose itself under a globalized name: piercing.

Piercing: The Exhibition

Piercing offers an anthropological perspective on piercing. Combining artistic representations, prehistoric objects, photographs, and jewelry, the exhibition presents piercing practices for 45,000 years. Different traditions are discussed: from the Kayapos of Brazil to the Dayaks of Borneo, from the “Modern Primitives” in the United States to contemporary uses.

Finding the skin and placing a visible object on it is a practice that dates back to prehistoric times and has been found on every continent, a practice that has continued to this day. These changes in the body take on various meanings: belonging to a group, rites of passage, signs of prestige or marks of infamy, signs of submission, beauty, and strength.

If in Europe only the earring seems to have crossed the ages to become a well-established tradition, today the Westerners have adopted new fashions and use the whole body as a means of expression.

Starting in liberal California in the 1970s, the renewal of this ancestral practice was inspired by precursors who sought to liberate the body. Defining themselves as “Modern Primitives,” they reinvent and reinterpret practices in a new context where piercing is now performed in sterile and controlled conditions. This is how the first piercing studio was created in 1975.

Initially reserved for emerging subcultures (gay, punk, SM), this practice has gradually spread to the whole of society and impose itself on a global scale thanks to a phenomenon of imitation, supported by the rise of the Internet, and now impose itself under a globalized name: piercing.

Point 88: BPA: Fakir Musafar, In Pursuit of the Spirit

From Inside the Archive: by Devin Ruiz-Altamura

I wasn’t prepared for the magic I felt when entering the completed exhibit room for the first time. I had probably handled each object in that room more than a dozen times over the past nine months, and written down their item numbers or descriptions just as many times. It didn’t make this collection any less powerful for me. I hope everyone else who got a chance to see the exhibit found it as moving as I did. This year’s  Body Piercing Archive exhibit, “Fakir Musafar: In Pursuit of the Spirit,” was our most ambitious to date. It was also the most comprehensive exhibit that has ever been seen on Fakir Musafar’s life and legacy. Featured were over 2,000 square feet of original images, digital media, and fabricated items, many of which had not been collected or displayed together under one roof since their creation. Visitors were led through the exhibit by a diverse crew of docents, all who had unique and personal experiences with Fakir himself and the Fakir Intensives School.

Fakir memorial altar, photo by John Balk

The exhibit opened with a timeline of the life of Roland Loomis, also known as Fakir Musafar. The timeline acted as a guide through the room and the objects. Next, a series of banners displaying all of the various personas that Fakir inhabited: Roland Loomis, Yogi Ankora, Fakiki, The Perfect Gentleman, Ibitoe, Golden Apollo, etc. Some of the first items displayed were examples of early corseting inspiration, and original National Geographic issues that planted seeds in a young Roland’s mind. It was extremely gratifying to see what parts of Fakir’s history were a surprise to the various docents and speakers. These little surprises really showed the amount of dedication that Paul King and Becky Dill put into their research, and the generosity that Cléo Dubios showed us in sharing some never before seen photos and artifacts. From there was a chance to see many of the various handmade masks, devices, jewelry, and tools that Fakir designed and fabricated for his own use in photoshoots and personal play.

Part of the Exhibit, photo by Devin Ruiz-Altamura

The transitional space between the first and second half of the exhibit held some of the work that served as an introduction to Fakir for many people, myself included. The film Dances Sacred and Profane could be viewed here alongside a performance Fakir did with Cléo Dubois, his wife and partner.

Photo by Paul King

Standing amongst the tour group for Paul King’s first guided tour of the exhibit, seeing Fakir on screen taking Kavadi, was another truly surreal moment for me. I remembered  being 12 or 13 watching that clip for the first time and thinking this was exactly what interested me the most. All these years later with half a decade of counter work at Cold Steel under my belt and a relatively new position with the Body Piercing Archive, I couldn’t help but be so thankful for Fakir’s unexpected influence on my life.

Photo by Paul King

The second half of the exhibit highlight ed Body Play Magazine and the Fakir Intensives School. Printed media, photography, and graphic design were all large parts of Fakir’s life; Body Play Magazine was the culmination of all of these passions and interests. Original working layouts of the magazine could be seen alongside their completed counterparts and final editions.

Photo by Paul King

The Fakir Intensives School was many people’s first hand experience with Fakir, and the foundation of so many memories. It was great photos or even be able to see themselves evolve over the many years they had attended or been an instructor. I love knowing that Fakir got to spend the second half of his life immersed in the community he desperately searched for in his early years. He got to witness first hand the impact he had on our industry, and on so many people’s lives—not something many get to experience in their lifetime.

Photo by Paul King

The backdrop for this more recent history was a grand display of the most iconic hand fabricated objects and sculpture associated with Fakir. The Bed of Blades and Bed of Nails from his first public performance at the 1977 international tattoo convention in Reno, Nevada, the Sword Swing and wooden and aluminum “encumberments” seen in various photoshoots, the horizontal suspension rig used for countless people’s spiritual flights, the Witches Cradle seen in Body Play Magazine, and the Kavadi featured on the poster for Dances Sacred and Profane. The sheer amount of work and devotion Fakir put into his spiritual endeavors and “body play” was inspiring.

Photo by Paul King

The culmination of the exhibit was a small curtained room that, once entered, dazzled the viewer with a bright display of red and gold. Before this room had even been filled, the impact of the change of color and tone brought those of us there to tears. The alter that was set up within was lovingly curated by Grin, a Fakir Intensives instructor and close friend of Fakir and Cléo. Flowers, candles, and sentimental objects were all present and served as a beautiful tribute to a person whose vast career and extraordinary life could hardly be contained within any exhibit walls.

The Body Piercing Archive would like to thank all docents, speakers, and volunteers that gave their energy, love, and time.

Special Thanks to: Cléo Dubois, Jim Ward, Annie Sprinkle, Veronica Vera, Ken Coyote, Paul King, Becky Dill, Ian Bishop, Allen Falkner, Dustin Allor, Cody Vaughn, Betty Ann Peed, Jef Saunders, Cynthia Wright, Yossi Silverman, Grin, Paul Fox, Jamie Biggers, Matte Erikson, John Balk, Theo Williams, Jenna Dittrich, Rafael Diaz, Pablo Perelmuter, Danny Greenwood

Point 87: Tiny

Piercing and Photos by Fakir Musafar

Meet Tiny, the first African-American to appear in Piercing Fans International Quarterly. She was featured in issues 12 (1981) and 14 (1982). Fakir performed the nostril piercing using a pin vice, his tool of choice in the early days before super sharp, disposable piercing needles.

As I recall, the labret piercing was faked. A gold bead was glued to her lower lip, and a gold back of my own fabrication placed inside. The back design would never have been satisfactory.

It would take over a decade of trial and error before the best placement would be worked out and appropriate jewelry designed.—Jim Ward


Point 87: Walk on the Wild Side with Annie Sprinkle

by Paul King, Body Piercing Archive

On the cover of Piercing Fans International Quarterly (PFIQ)
Annie in the Mobilia Chair
Shopping for photo lights with Fakir Musafar in the early 1980s.

Having Dr. Annie Sprinkle speak at our conference has been a personal dream of mine for years. For those familiar with our community’s history, she needs no introduction or explanation for her importance, not to mention her greater celebrity within the performance art and adult entertainment worlds. She will be sharing her-story Wednesday May 16, 2019, at 12:30pm.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see an original lecture created just for the APP Conference:

Take a Walk on the Wild Side: an Exploration of Annie Sprinkle’s NYC Underground Piercing Scene.

Most often our piercing history has been told from a Westcoast male perspective. For the first time, Annie will take us deep inside the East Coast piercing scene: the parties, publications, films, and crazy personalities of the 1970s’ and 1980s’ New York.

Annie Sprinkle was a NYC prostitute and porn star for twenty-two years, then morphed into an artist and sexologist. She has passionately explored sexuality for over forty years, sharing her experiences through making her own unique brand of feminist sex films, writing books and articles, visual art making, creating theater performances, and teaching. Annie has consistently championed sex worker rights and health care and was one of the pivotal players of the Sex Positive Movement of the 1980’s. She got her BFA at School of Visual Arts in NYC was the first porn star to earn a Ph.D..

She’s a popular lecturer whose work is studied in many colleges and Universities. For the past seventeen years she has been collaborating on art projects with her partner, an artist and UCSC professor, Elizabeth Stephens. They are movers and shakers in the new “ecosex movement,” committed to making environmentalism more sexy, fun and diverse. In 2013, Sprinkle proudly received the Artist/Activist/ Scholar Award from Performance Studies International at Stanford and was awarded the Acker Award for Excellence in the Avant Garde. –Annie Sprinkle

Point 87: Fakir Musafar — In Pursuit of the Spirit

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

Adolescent Roland — his birth name — with neck ropes and stenciled on tattoos
Standing on a bed of red cutlass blades, 1963
Dressed with posture collar, stretched nipples, and tight belt.

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.

Fakir experimenting with breast clamp O-Kee-Pa
Fakir lies on a bed of nails while Sailor Sid hammers a wooden block on his back as a part of the entertainment at the Reno ITTA tattoo convention in 1977 photo by Doug Malloy

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.

An illustration Fakir created for the fetish magazine Bizarre
Fakir stretching his nipples

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

Fakir and his wife Cleo on a Princess Cruise in 2014

Point 86: 2019 Exhibit Planet Hollywood — Fakir Musafar

In honor and celebration of the life of Fakir Musafar, the Body Piercing Archive will present the most comprehensive exhibit that’s ever been seen on Fakir’s art and legacy.

Over 2000 square feet staged with his original iconic images and fabricated sculptures made famous over eight decades of accumulated artwork and Body Play.

Exhibited as well will be many items that have never been on public display.

This will be the largest and most ambitious BPA exhibit to date, so come learn, remember, and celebrate!

Register to take your tour today!!

Exhibit Hours:

  • Monday 10 am–6 pm
  • Tuesday 10 am–6 pm
  • Wednesday 10 am–6 pm
  • Thursday 10 am–6 pm

Docent Tours:

MONDAY

  • 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

  • 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

WEDNESDAY

  • 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

THURSDAY

  • 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

Point 85: Meet the BPA

by Paul King

“The mission of the Body Piercing Archive is to select, collect, document, preserve, exhibit, and interpret the personal, social, and material evolving histories of Body Piercing to ensure these artifacts are available to present and successive generations.”

PAUL R. KING—BPA FOUNDER & COMMITTEE CHAIR, APP TREASURER

Let’s start with our founder, Paul King. Paul has been a professional body piercer since 1991 and an enthusiast before that. Paul has a BA in Anthropology from UC Berkeley and has lectured in universities, community groups, and conferences on various aspects of body modification since 1993. In 1999, Paul partnered to create Cold Steel America in San Francisco, CA. He is an active Business Member of the Association of Professional Piercers. In 2005, he successfully completed a three year elected Board position as Treasurer for the APP. In 2007, he received the APP’s President’s Award for contributions to the piercing industry. He has served as a Board-appointed Treasurer and Officer of the APP since 2008. In 2014, with the support of the APP Board, Paul King created the Body Piercing Archive.

BRIAN SKELLIE—BPA COMMITTEE MEMBER, APP MEDICAL LIAISON

Brian founded Piercing Experience in 1992 as a piercer inspired to research and evolve safe body modification and share the results with the community. He is a frequent APP contributor ever since the first Conference, an active Business Member since 1996, an educator who has presented many seminars and workshops at conferences in North and South America and Europe, former Editor of The Point, former chair of the Media Committee, and completed his third term Board Member as President, now serving as Medical Liaison.

BECKY DILL—BPA COMMITTEE MEMBER, INCOMING APP BOARD MEMBER

Becky Dill has been piercing professionally since 2003. She has been a part of the Cold Steel America family since 2009 and the Body Piercing Archive since its inception.

Becky is a Business Member of the Association of Professional Piercers; since becoming a Member she has participated in the APP Mentor Program and led roundtable discussions during the annual Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas. Additionally, she is also a founding member of the Bay Area Piercers Group.

DANNY GREENWOOD—DESIGN GURU, APP ASSOCIATE MEMBER

Danny Greenwood started working counter in 2007, and has been a member of the Cold Steel Piercing family since 2008. Danny is an Associate Member of the Association of Professional Piercers. Danny is the Phantom to our Opera: working behind the scenes on our website and various graphic design needs  (and hiding away from the daylight as much as possible.)

When she isn’t busy handling the ordering and photographing of fancy jewelry for Cold Steel America, you can expect Danny to be watching too much TV with her fat cat and thinking about snacks.

DEVIN RUIZ-ALTAMURA—BPA COMMITTEE MEMBER

Devin began working counter at Cold Steel Piercing in 2014 and is an Associate Member of the Association of Professional Piercers. Devin is the newest addition to the BPA and excited to bring you insights into the inner workings via social media. As  a native San Franciscan, a body piercing enthusiast, and student of the Paul King School of Being a Big ol’ History Nerd, she is honored to be preserving and sharing history that is near and dear to her heart.

When Devin isn’t archiving or obsessing over body jewelry she is probably planting things, reading comics, or telling her dogs how much she loves them. (She is also responsible for the majority of the bios you are currently enjoying originally posted on The Body Piercing Archive Instagram.)

MATTE ERICKSON—BPA COMMITTEE MEMBER, APP BUSINESS MEMBER

Matte began piercing in 1994 in Colorado Springs, Co.and re-located to Fairfield, Ca in 1998 and since then, has become the prevalent piercer in Solano and Napa counties. Since 2002, He has attended the Association of Professional Piercers Conference to continue his education and stay up on the latest advances and techniques.

I am sure there are more for each list, but, I think you get the idea. One of my motto’s is, “just because you can pierce something, doesn’t mean you should”.

Now a committee member for the Body Piercing Archive Committee. History has always been very important to him. He is also a member of the Bay Area and Sacramento piecers groups, The International Suspension Alliance And is also responsible for many of the Photographs The Point uses throughout its publications.

GENE GOWEN—BPA COMMITTEE MEMBER AND FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR

Gene Gowen is owner of and piercer at Cold River Piercing in Albany, NY. He had always wanted to get involved with the APP, but didn’t think he’d be much good at any of the usual ways people volunteer with the organization. Paul started the BPA and needed some help raising funds for the work the archive was doing. So he asked if Gene could be responsible for generating sellable items at Conference, to raise funds for the BPA. Like any other staunch New Englander, Gene has a mother who makes and gives away quilts for everyone’s big life events. So the idea came to him that maybe we could make some quilted projects from old shop shirts, which everyone has in abundance.

That’s really all it came down to. He saw a place where someone needed some help and thought he might be able to be of some use.

OLIVIA THERIAULT—BPA COMMITTEE MEMBER

Olivia began her professional piercing journey in 2012, on the quiet coast of Nova Scotia. She is a permanent fixture at her hometown studio, Skin Decision. When she is home in the woods, you will often find her transcribing audio files for the BPA or outside playing with bugs!

Olivia is a proud Business Member of the Association of Professional Piercers and has attended a variety of seminars, conferences, and retreats to further her understanding of our industry.

Point 85: In the Beginning There was Gauntlet

by Jim Ward

Yes, humans have been piercing their bodies for millenia, so this title is not literally true.

But in 1975 when Gauntlet was born, except for a handful of fetishists, the western world had largely forgotten this part of its history. That year marked the beginning of a revival that has taken the planet by storm. Thanks to Gauntlet, piercing shops have become a staple of the urban landscape.

Many of you have read my book Running the Gauntlet and are familiar with so many of the photos it contains. For this issue of The Point, I’ve dug back into my personal archives and chosen a number of mostly unpublished photos from Gauntlet’s early years to share.

For the first three years of its existence, I conducted business from my dilapidated old home. The shop opened in 1978. I hope you enjoy this stroll down memory lane.

Doug Malloy in a candid moment
A young chap modeling the first incarnation of a Gauntlet t-shirt. I silk screened the design myself. At one point I attempted to dye some of them purple, but the widely available Rit dye faded rapidly to lavender.
Poet, performance artist, and out masochist Bob Flanagan in a 1982 video getting a Prince Albert and guiche piercing from Jim Ward. Shot by his mistress Sheree Rose, the video may be seen on the APPThePoint YouTube Channel. It should be viewed as an historical document and in no way
considered instructional.

My home on San Vicente Boulevard in West Hollywood where Gauntlet was born and from which I conducted business for three years prior to the opening of the studio.

Exterior view of the shop front
My secretary’s desk and work area. On the stool
bottom left is visible a layout board for an issue of
PFIQ
The showcase and my desk and work area.
Through the opening at the far right is the jewelry
making area. Seeing the ash tray on the display
counter, we forget that smoking was acceptable
in those days.
My friend Diane at the jeweler’s bench
in the opposite corner of the room is the piercing area shielded
by a folding screen on the right. This studio would not meet
today’s APP standards; but was acceptable at that particular
time
Me wearing a second generation Gauntlet T-shirt. It
was purple with a glittery gold design. The peacock wallpaper
raised a number of eyebrows, but finding anything
featuring our signature purple at that time was a challenge

The Point – Issue 85