Point 84: The Body Piercing Archive Exhibit

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by Nick Johnson

Photo by Kendra Jane B.

Entering the annual Body Piercing Archive exhibit at Conference is something I al- ways look forward to. Each year seems to surpass the previous in quality and execution. It is not dissimilar to a well-curated museum hall. This year reached deep down and touched a very personal place in my heart with The Perforated Body: an Examination of Piercing in Performance. I came to body piercing through suspension and found my people, my tribe, my community. Seeing the many faces of my mentors and peers represented and getting to know more about those that inspired them stirred me with emotion and passion like never before.

I took every opportunity I could to sit in on guided tours with each of the different docents to gain greater insight and perspective on the numerous artists and performers represented. Couple this with the class session on Piercing in Performance and it created a fully realized and dynamic conversation about a topic paralleling our industry that newer piercers may not have known about.


Body Piercing Archive Exhibit docents and friends in the Jon John display. Clockwise from the left, Ron Athey, Dr Dominic Johnson, Steve Joyner, Paul King, Allen Falkner, Dr Julian Carter, and Darryl Carlton (stage name Divinity Fudge). Photo by Shanna Hutchins

To quote the opening panel of the exhibit, “For the professional body piercer, ‘Piercing’ is familiar, repetitive, and sometimes even mechanical. Yet piercing retains a mysterious complexity beyond the clinical eye… In performance, ‘piercing’ may engage an audience’s feelings of astonishment, wonderment, repul- sion and/or fear. As well, perforating or pene- trating the flesh can be utilized to non-verbally communicate aspects of power, autonomy, violence, and/or sexuality.” This last line I feel brings the act of piercing full circle when a client comes in to get pierced, perhaps they too are trying to communicate their own personal power, autonomy, or sexuality.

The exhibit included Bob Flanagan’s exploration of pain and the body while living with cystic fibrosis, Genesis P-Orridge’s exploration of identity and the occult, and Stelarc’s journey to transcend the body, among many others. Each artist represented has a strong will and way to show the world something through their personal lens.

Other highlights of the exhibit were Ron Athey and Divinity P. Fudge’s “Human Printing Press” from Four Scenes From a Harsh Life, hung much as it originally was above the heads of the audience. This small piece which sparked a congressional hearing on funding for the art in the United States was enlightening to hear about. The ability to see the costumes and props from CoRE up close allowed me to see the hardwork and dedication Steve Joyner has put into such an amazing performance group. The Jon John exhibit brought tears to my eyes, as I listened to Paul King talk about his relationship with such a beautiful life lost too soon.

As a piercer and as a suspension practitioner, this year’s exhibit has given me quite a bit to ponder about where life will take my peers and myself. I sincerely hope that in ten or twenty years time I will have the opportunity to see more of my contemporaries or even myself alongside such legends. The Body Piercing Archive is such an amazing and important entity, without it a lot of our history could have been lost to time. It’s important to know where you come from so that you can better see your own road ahead of you. If you can, please support the BPA and our industry’s other historians such as Scared Debris. I look forward to next year’s exhibit and seeing more of our beautiful history.

Point 84: The Al D. Scholars

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ANJI AMARJARGAL

I was fortunate enough to be chosen as one of the eight Al. D Scholars this year. Just accepting the fact that I was actually going to be attending Conference was beyond belief. For someone coming from a country where there’s no community for piercers, I would get to attend seminars, meet my idols, and make new friends who have the same passion for body piercing. It is the biggest thing that has happen in my career as a piercer. Needless to say, the fact that I’ve never been to Las Vegas made it even more exciting.

The biggest advantage of being a scholar— which I never would have realized beforehand—is that you will become part of a big family and the best group of people, the Volunteer group. I was so naive to think the APP was this huge organization and Conference just happens. In reality what makes Conference happen is the amazing people in the Volunteer group. Just thinking I was there to help make this big event take place makes me very happy. Also my heart wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I went without mentioning my appreciation for Caitlin, who is the hardest working bee there is. Being the head of the Volunteers, she did an outstanding job on managing us from the very beginning and making sure we stayed sane through the busy week of working and learning.

The week was an emotional rollercoaster as the things I used to pray for were actually happening. When you’re from somewhere as remote as Mongolia, Las Vegas and the APP seem like a million miles away, something unattainable, yet there I was in Las Vegas at the APP Conference meeting Elayne Angel, Jim Ward, and many other amazing industry professionals from all over the globe. Caitlin made sure we, the Scholars, got to attend classes in addition to our work; they truly care about people who want to learn, improve, and sharpen their skill-sets related to body piercing. A huge thank you goes out to Badur Ramji from PunkMedics, who helped the Al.D Scholars make our dreams come true with his donations.

This week is going to be my highlight each year going forward. After everything I have witnessed there is no way I want to miss out on it again. Classes were well organized and were exceptionally interesting. The effort speakers put into teaching was very inspirational, for no reason other than sharing knowledge and helping us broaden our horizons, it was so heartwarming.

What I have gained after the week is gratitude, knowledge, and more  love  for  the  art of body piercing. For anyone out there  who has never been to Conference, I would highly recommend going! They say it’s life-changing, but you never truly understand how until you experience it yourself. I would call it The week of self polishing.

Luis González- Fierro González (partner) and Txas Norris (Al D. Scholar), photo by Shanna Hutchins

BECKY CROSSAN

Before getting   on the plane, and even during the journey, coming to Vegas for Conference had an unreal quality to it, as though it wasn’t something I was really brave enough to do. I’d thought about applying for years previously, but had always found a reason to miss the deadline and put it off for another  year. This year I was fortunate enough to have the support and encouragement of some friends who are previous Scholars and I finally set myself the challenge of sending the application in.

Until I actually arrived though, and started to meet people in person who I had previously only interacted with online, the whole thing felt dream-like. It’s difficult to put into words what this experience has meant to me. It has been transformative, not just in how I approach things as a piercer as I return home to my studio, but also in how I perceive myself. There’s been so much to learn and so much work to do, but what has really made Conference truly special has been the people.

I’ve met some amazing and inspiring people throughout this week and I feel very fortunate and honoured to call them my friends. It sounds cliché, but I tend to think that people in our community often feel like outsiders and like they don’t really quite fit in. For me, attending Conference felt like a homecoming and a sense of belonging to a community of people who understand.

As I reflect on this experience I want to say thank you to everyone who made it possible and everyone who made it so wonderful. This whole experience has shaped my confidence, happiness, and sense of self worth in more ways than you could ever know.

Al D. Jon Saltzer had no idea what he signed up for when he became a volunteer.
Photo by Al D. Scholar Zakk Boyer.

DANIEL WRIGHT

In today’s booming world of piercings, it’s easy to get bogged down looking at Instagram and Facebook only to see piercers  from all  over  the globe going to big conferences,  expanding their knowledge, networking and picking up the best jewellery money can offer. You, meanwhile, are left checking your bank balance and quietly accepting that you will never be one of those people…the Al. D Scholarship can change this.

As a recipient of this scholarship, I was given an opportunity that most people can only dream of and that was to leave my little English city and attend the most well known and respected conference in the piercing world: The Association of Professional Piercers Conference in Las Vegas, USA.

Upon arriving I was thrown straight into the mix, sharing a room with someone I had never met and put into a large group of other volunteers.

My feelings quickly changed from apprehension to sheer excitement as it became evident that these were the friendliest,  most dedicated  members of the piercing community. They give up their own time each year to set up and run Conference and have formed a family which they accepted me into with open arms.

Over the course of the five days I was running around, checking badges here, working the door there, all the while being given the opportunity to sit in seminars and classes with some of the most knowledgeable professionals around today. I can’t say it went down without a hitch; on the first time working on the door of a class with a fellow Scholar, the network went down on the scanning devices. Although I felt as if the world was going to swallow me up, as over a hundred pairs of eyes gazed at me patiently waiting to enter the classroom, all of the Volunteers in the area banded together, jogging off to the office, telling those in line that there has been a delay and mentally supporting the two newcomers. Within minutes the problem was sorted, finished off with a pat on the back and the reassurance that it is all okay.

Early mornings turned into late nights and the day were filled with friendly demands from others such as “Drink more water!” and “You look hungry, go and eat!” The support was invaluable along with the experience, and within the blink of an eye it was all over. Going from a nervous piercer, alone in a massive city not even in my own country, still trying to come to terms with the fact I (over other people) had been gifted this amazing opportunity, to being completely inducted into my new family. I left with my head held high, brain brimming with all of the knowledge I had gained, and a tear for the new friends I would have to leave.

So this goes out to anybody considering applying. Even if you don’t think you stand a chance or even if, for some crazy reason, you think you don’t deserve it, APPLY! There is value in everyone and this whole experience is something I wouldn’t trade for the world. It will completely change your outlook on your professional life as well as your personal one.

 I applied to the scholarship with a day or 2 left before applications closed and didn’t for one second think I would get it, I put it to the back of my mind and figured that if I just forgot about it, I would escape disappointment. Yet here I am now, writing about my experience. I need to finish this with a massive shout out to Caitlin McDiarmid for being Mama Duck to all of us ducklings and the unshakable support and dedication she puts into Conference each year, also to Badur Ramji of PunkMedics for funding my Scholarship as the real life Willy Wonka. You made all my dreams come true and more. Without you, people like me would never have gotten the chance to travel out to Conference. Thank you for your continuous hard work in keeping Rick Frueh’s name alive.  Forever Learning.

DEBBIE MOORE

I remember the day that Caitlin told me I would be going to Las Vegas; there was a blizzard happening in Ireland. Everyone I knew was enjoying and playing in the snow, but     I was so nervous awaiting Caitlin’s call that I could do nothing but sit and anxiously wait. The time came and when Caitlin called she simply said “so… you wanna come to Vegas?”

I was so happy  I  cried  and  replied “yes of course, thank you!” while my Girlfriend danced around our kitchen screaming with excitement! That’s how much it meant to me and my loved ones. To be the second Irish piercer to attend the Conference and be an Al D. Scholar was such a huge honour!

When the day finally came I must admit I had  reservations stepping onto the plane as it was so daunting being in the company of  so many piercers I admire and aspire to. But stepping into that first meeting with everyone clapping and welcoming us and when Caitlin gave me my badge it was such an amazing feeling! Something I’ve wanted for so long was actually happening!

Were the work days long, and was it stressful at times? Yes. But through these stressful long days there was Mama Duck herself, Caitlin, the person that made this possible and the other Volunteers checking that we were ok, that we had food or water, and if we needed rest. We were and are a family! Getting to be a part of this family, taking classes, and meeting legends such as Elayne Angel and Jim Ward made it a life changing experience, one I hope to repeat again next year.

JON SALZAR

I had my Piercer awakening back in 2014 when I attended the Fakir Intensives and learned some very vital information about autoclaves and their effectiveness on luminous objects, why you want quality jewelry with internal threading and much more. I was given a piece of advice, “you need to make it out to Conference,” and decided that was my next goal.

The next few years were spent moving shops to be able to work with quality jewelry and sterilization equipment, so I could ethically stand behind my work and not knowingly cause unnecessary harm to someone. I became an APP Member, then ran into a weird work environment which forced me to take a year sabbatical and figure out if we were going to leave my home town or stay and try to build a better piercing culture for ourselves and our customers. We chose to stay and build a new business with all of its hurdles, but we made it and had the studio meeting environmental standards within the first year. I also wanted to try and make it to Conference this year, seeing as I had missed three years since my time at the Intensives. I felt like I was missing out on my need for continuous learning.

When I applied for the Al D. Scholarship I had no idea that I was going to get it. It was more like a shot in the dark and hope for the best. My partner the whole time kept saying “you got this babe” and I would respond “you never know, it’s anyone’s game.” I am grateful for the time that Caitlin, Cale, and Ryan all put into the selection process. These amazing people volunteer their time so fortunate piercers like me can have an opportunity to learn and grow as an individual.

When Cale called to announce the winners I was stunned and started to freak out because I had admitted to them during interviews  that even with the scholarship I didn’t know if we could afford to get me out to Las Vegas.

We found the money to get a ticket (I should also mention that I work two days a week painting houses and three nights as a bouncer at a bar. I’ll sleep when I’m dead right?) so it was going to happen! I picked my classes and went through the volunteer training online. I freaked out a few times before coming, thinking that this was not happening or “how am I going to be received by these amazing people at Conference?” Then the day came and I reluctantly left my family. I’ve never spent more than four days away from my partner in ten years and that only happened once. I got on the plane and flew out to meet Gus Diamond and Ken Seyler at the airport to split a cab.

My idea of what I was going to get out of this trip was to soak up as much knowledge as I possibly could in the week’s time I was there and to network. I wasn’t sure what networking meant, expected it to be something along that lines of meeting the man that sold me and everyone else their autoclave, Brian Skellie.

I landed and met up with Caitlin to touch base and that’s when it began. I met the sweet Kendra Jane who basically offered me cookies as a greeting and Badur Ramji (the awesome man behind funding a good number of us Scholars to be there in the first place) and from there it just kept on going. I met up with Shorty and John Robberson, fellow Florida piercers, and we ended up taking a valuable tour of the hotel and surrounding area to get a lay of the land and a feel for Vegas. 2 o’clock in the morning rolls around and I’m like “oh man, I have to be at volunteer training so early tomorrow,” so my bad decisions of not wanting to miss out probably started that night (and it had been less than 6 hours.)

In the training meetings I started to meet the enormous team of volunteers that help make Conference happen and started forming friendships and mentors that all truly turned into family by the end. They broke down the walls of that feeling of being the new kid at school and just acted like I’d been part of the class the whole time. Zach Fitzgerald (or loud Al D. Scholar from 2014) was always there to check I had my water and was staying hydrated. Alicia Lowe was always there in the sea of people at the bar having fun, but still looking out for us new people.

It was nice to know that support was just a few steps away with any of the Volunteers and that they had your back in a place so foreign and overwhelming. This comradery was not only shared with the Volunteers though, it was anyone and everyone that had come to attend Conference. No one passes judgment and we all just get along. We are all there for the good of our industry and that truly is what I got from Conference. We are all awkward people and that’s cool, we are also an ever-growing family of piercers and that’s even cooler.

Thank you to everyone that I met and had a chance to connect with, this opportunity felt like a dream, but the connections that I made and the new family that I have at the end of this trip makes me know that it wasn’t a dream at all. Thank you again Caitlin for everything!!! And thank you to my partner for always believing in me and making this happen even though we couldn’t afford it. I can’t wait to introduce you to our new extended family next year.


Clockwise from the top, Àngel Armengol Docio, Daniel Wright, Nici Holmes (returning new volunteer), Alicia Lowe (returning new volunteer), Anji Amarjargal, Becky Crossan, Txas Norris, Debbie Moore, Zakk Boyer, Jon Salzer [all 2018 Al D. Scholars except Nici & Alicia]. Photo by Anji Amarjargal

ZAKK BOYER

As I sit here in the airport surrounded by people with no names and just faces, I can’t help but think back to my amazing week. To those of you who are reading this, remember I am just a message away. You can call on me for any reason and I will do my best to help you.

I can’t thank the following people enough from the bottom of my heart. First and foremost Caitlin McDiarmid; you, ma’am, are the backbone of the APP. I am so proud to say that I was one of your Scholars, one of your ducklings, and now one of your volunteer children. You give the best hugs and have made me feel accepted from the start of the whole process. Badur Ramji, what can I say about this man? He gave me and others one of the best weeks of our lives. If it wasn’t for you I would not have had this opportunity. You, sir, are one of the biggest supporters of this industry  and the APP. You give a ragtag bunch of outcasts an opportunity to grow and succeed. You have given me more fuel to continue my beloved piercing career. I will be forever grateful and in your debt. I will always remember you and what you have done for me and the other Al D. Scholars. Without these two people I would not be writing this today. They are both amazing from the tips of their toes to the tips of their noses and have two of the biggest hearts I have ever encountered.

Moving on to my fellow volunteer family members. There are too many of you to name and thank for showing me so much support and so much love, excitement, encouragement, and for welcoming me into your family with open arms. I have never felt so welcomed and not like an outsider in my life, I love each and every one of you and I cannot wait to see and hug each of you at next year’s Conference. You guys and gals are some of the best people and I know that I will always have you in my corner and hope that you all realize that I am in yours as well.

To my fellow Al D. Scholars of 2018 WE DID IT! We did it and survived. If there was a test, I am sure we all would have passed. You guys are awesome. You’re special. You’re beautiful. And you are all my family. I am glad to have met all you guys and have you in my life. We came, we saw, and we conquered. I am proud to call all of you my friends.

My experience as an Al D. was probably one of the single handed best experiences of my professional piercing career. It was a lot of hard work, but worth every second. We all had breakdowns, but brought each other back up. I can’t say enough how grateful I am to everyone involved with this experience.

The whole week of Conference was such an amazing and surreal experience, from meeting some of the founding Members to the man himself, Jim Ward. This is not an experience that I have taken lightly. It has done so many things for me, from opening doors, to opening my eyes. It has helped me set new amazing goals for myself and my current studio. I had so many highlights, it is really hard to pick one of my favorite moments or people. The friends and family I have made through this experience are mind blowing. Now, being home and back to work, I am getting my feet back under me, and it is time to get to work.

For those of you new and scared of going to Conference, please read these words and know that you can do it. Apply for the scholarship, ask to shadow, ask for help, get critiques, and always remember we are just as scared as you. When you do go to Conference it will change you in the best ways possible and if you see me there, don’t hesitate to come up to me and ask me anything or to introduce you to someone. This is what we all strive for and this is what it’s all about; learning, growing, and being forced out of our comfort zones. YOU CAN DO IT!! To all reading this I leave you with these words. You are awesome. You are beautiful. You are special. And you are important. Do not let anyone take away from what you strive to be, for you may be your own worst enemy, but we are your support and we are here for you.

Point 84: Membership Infographics Explained

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by Marina Pecorino, APP Membership Administrator

The following infographics were presented in the annual Members’ Meeting at Conference. There’s a lot of information here, so I’d like to take a moment to make sure the full breadth of our recent growth is understood.

It’s important to note that our membership changes almost daily. Prior to Conference, the Membership Committee processed all applications received before April 1, 2018, and then went on hiatus until after Conference, so new memberships have a pre-Conference deadline.

However, the same does not apply for changes with existing Members. Keep in mind the nomadic nature of many piercers, moving to different studios, or relocating to different states and countries. These types of changes happen up to and even onsite at Conference.

It seems only appropriate to start from the beginning, so let’s look at the APP Membership Inception to Current graph. The golden columns show the total number of active Members at the close of each corresponding year.

This includes all membership types, and excludes our Corporate Sponsors. The blue line indicates the current active Members based on their join year. So, as an example, looking back ten years, 2008 ended with 254 total Members (a difference of 18 compared to the previous year), and only

16 of the Members accepted that year still maintained active membership at the time that these graphs were created. On the contrary, in 2017, the year ended with a total of 582 Members (a difference of 60 compared to the previous year), and 134 of those active Members (that’s 23%) joined last year! It’s pretty clear to see the incredible growth the APP has experienced over the last several years, with active Members more than doubling since 2012.

This brings us to the Pre-Conference Growth graph. This illustrates the number of new Members between January 1 and Conference of each corresponding year. Keep in mind  that  Conference  does not have a stationary date, so there is a bit of variation with the Membership Committee hiatus I mentioned earlier. Regardless, pre-Conference growth has almost tripled between 2014 and 2018.

Moving to the next set of graphs, we look at our memberships and  sponsorships by type. The first of this set is specific to individual Members and the membership type they fit into. Business Members—piercers with more than one year of professional experience, who meet both environmental and personal criteria—are by far our largest membership category, for obvious reasons. The second graph in this set includes all of

the information from the previous, but also includes Additional Location memberships and our Corporate Sponsors. The Additional Location memberships are used for Business Members who consistently work in more than one approved studio location.

The final two infographics show membership (Associate Corporate, Associate, Business, Business at Large, and Patron Members) by geographical location. The first shows all active Members in North America. California and Oregon have the highest number of APP Members, followed closely by Florida and Texas. The concentration of Members in these areas is somewhat predictable, based on the sheer size and density of populations in these states. The second map shows active Members worldwide. Despite being an international organization, APP membership is highest in the United States, but membership is growing elsewhere. Australia now has the third highest membership by country, most of which were added within the last three years.

The recent popularization and growth of our industry, in combination with the outstanding work of the Membership Committee, and our transition to an online membership system are all partly responsible for the recent prosperity of the APP. That said, the majority of the credit goes to industry professionals as a whole and the increasing demand for excellence. As professionals hold themselves and their studios to higher standards, and look to the Association of Professional Piercers for support, I’m confident that the organization and industry will continue to thrive.

Point 84: New Members & Sponsors July 2017-July 2018

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Business & Business Members at Large

  • Rafael Andrade
  • Tabatha Andreason
  • Ryan Archuleta
  • Desi Arellano
  • Brent Baker
  • Sabrina Ballard
  • Daniel Barake
  • Cody Bauer
  • Starr Belew
  • Robyn Campbell
  • Cory Carmean
  • Nick Christiansen
  • Jeffrey Clark
  • Corey Cochrane
  • Andrea Costantino
  • Mercedes Courtoreille
  • Ben Creehan
  • Gregory Daniel
  • Benjamin Davis
  • Diego de Esteve
  • Jenell Di
  • Renee Dietzler
  • Brandon Downs
  • Sabrina Egan
  • Joe Espin
  • Molly Ezell
  • Aaron Foster
  • Holly Foutch
  • Paul Fox
  • Russ Foxx
  • Nathalie Gauthier
  • Corinne Graves
  • Erik Grover
  • James Haessly
  • Suzanne Hallett
  • Hannah Kimber
  • Derek Hibberd
  • Ben Higgs
  • Mike Hill
  • Leanne Hughes
  • Ashley Jay
  • Dae Jedic
  • Matthew Jensen
  • Vanessa Jo
  • Sara Johnson
  • Cash Kasper
  • Carl Kimberly
  • Alexander Kirkiles
  • Nia Kulbaba
  • David Lallemand
  • Jess Lane
  • Audrée Laroche
  • Rachael Lebron
  • Alexandria (Lexie) Lipp
  • Cassi Lopez
  • Benjamin Lynch
  • Vivi Madero
  • Tristan Macumber
  • Gregg Marchessault
  • Matthew Masterton
  • Cody Mattice
  • Rochelle Montagne
  • Austin Moore
  • John Moore
  • Nicolas Moses
  • Arthur Moy
  • Marina Müller
  • Megan Naito
  • Jenna Nichols
  • Colin O
  • Ian Olsen
  • Jason Orenstein
  • Alana Paris
  • Aniela Payne
  • Daniel Pereira
  • Ari Pimsler
  • Antonio Pisasale
  • Sean Powell
  • Kaden Rasmussen
  • Della Scott
  • Eloise Ridgewell
  • Victoria Rose
  • Randee Saenz
  • Kelli Saez
  • Nate Saint Pierre
  • Claire Savard
  • Sara Schneider
  • Lucas Sheffield
  • Pete Sheringham
  • Shane Shields
  • Dylan Smith
  • Carrie  Sorrels
  • Kari Spector
  • Cherry Sutherland
  • Pineapple Tangaroa
  • Kaitlyn Taylor
  • Andrea Trester
  • Sergi Tinaut
  • Chad Vahila
  • Bella van Nes
  • Paulus van Nes
  • Cour Vest
  • Laura Estefania Vicat
  • Zack Watson
  • Jade Winston
  • Lindsey Wright
  • Eddie Zvolanek

Associate Members

  • Jessika Agee
  • KristaJae Amante
  • Amanda Badger
  • Eleanor Boyd
  • Jill Bressmer
  • Shay Britton
  • Nash Bryant
  • Margo Dellaquila
  • Tyler Drake
  • Zach Elkie
  • Tyler Grayko
  • Melissa Gutierrez
  • Heidi Hess
  • Shayne Holborow
  • Megan Jaqubino
  • Randy Kunkel
  • Christy Lillard
  • Natali Martin
  • Stacy Martinez
  • Kristina Outland
  • Jasmine Riggsbee
  • Devin Ruiz
  • Sprout Scheier
  • Gabrielle Schultz
  • Skye Smith
  • Anthony Spaziano
  • Anthony Swift
  • Tanner Thurman
  • Daisy May Turnmire
  • Nick Whitcher
  • Burr White
  • Samuel Wright
  • Scott Lilly Young

Corporate Sponsors

  •  After Inked, LLC
  • Alchemy Adornment
  • Propper Mfg. Co. Inc.
  • Rio Grande, Inc.
  • Sleeping Goddess Jewelry

Point 84: From the Editor – Marina Pecorino

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by Marina Pecorino, Point Editor

Starting from the time my shoes touch the Vegas cement several days before the attendees arrive, the week of Conference is usually a blur for me. This year had the added complexities of new motherhood; extra calls home and using my breaks to pump breast milk made my already busy schedule even more packed.

Much of my work happens after classes end and most attendees head to the bar. Unfortunately, my workload and late hours meant that I missed many of the extracurricular activities this year, including the Opening Pool Party at the Flamingo, most of the Banquet (which featured attendee karaoke and a special visit from Elvis), and all the Alternative To The Bar activities. Thankfully, I still found time to take a guided tour through the Body Piercing Archive Exhibit and make a few quick passes through the Expo.

By the end of the week, as usual I was both exhausted and revitalized. Conference provides a chance to develop professionally and personally, and although classes are no longer my personal focus during the week, I always glean new knowledge from the overall experience. I was able to attend a few classes and they were wonderful, led by a range of speakers with diverse backgrounds and experiences. It seems that every year, our class offerings provide an ever-expanding range of topics, from technical, to analytical, to anthropological. Every year, it seems that the week has an unnatural momentum; starting out steady, but somehow quickening the closer we get to the end, until suddenly the week is over. This year, that progression seemed even more spectacular than usual. The final flurry of activity comes during pack out, which the Volunteer team managed to accomplish in record time this year. That evening culminates with one last “family” dinner, after which we gather for speeches, allowing the Volunteers to speak from the heart about their experience. This is one of my favorite times during Conference, hearing how each individual will go home changed in some way with a renewed sense of themselves and their connection to the industry and our community. We all come together in the same city for the same event, but the week alters each person in their own unique way.

After dinner and speeches this year, I made it back to my room just in time to see the Bellagio fountains erupting. I stood at the window in welcomed silence, watching the colored water and lights dance amid the city of sin and excess. In that post-Conference quiet, I took a few moments to mentally prepare for reintegrating with normal life; it is amazing how different life  can feel during Conference week. It will take many of us time to decompress, organize, and fully understand our experience, so if you had the opportunity to attend, I hope you take the time to reflect and share your thoughts. If you were not able to attend this year, consider joining us for our first year at Planet Hollywood for the 24th Annual Conference and Exposition May 12-17, 2019.

Point 84: From the Editors – Kendra Jane B.

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By Kendra Jane B. , Point Editor

Point Editors, Kendra Jane B. & Marina Pecorino

In our last issue of The Point, I spoke to being mindful in your preparation for Conference. I said I was going into it knowing what I wanted to get out of it. I had hoped to find a renewed connection, a connection with the people of our industry. Instead what I found was a renewed connection with myself.

This year was a wash of emotions, so here’s your warning; emotions ahead.

I sat in my room and contemplated all that was Conference. I had arrived 10 days prior and, man, was I ready to go home. Conference is a special place filled with the most special people, but it also comes with sacrifices of sleep, water, sleep, raw fresh vegetables, oh and did I mention sleep? So this year on my last night I decided to do something a bit different. I took myself out on a date. That’s right a me party, party of one. For most of my life I did not feel like I could be my true self, and as such I never wanted to spend time with myself. Through my journey within this industry and the past eight Conferences, I am so very happy to say I am 100% happy with who I am, what I believe, and where I have drawn my boundaries. This wouldn’t have been possible without the people I have met because of Conference. So at the end of this year’s very hectic week I celebrated myself and all I have accomplished with dim sum, hand pulled noodles, and mochi. I finally know what my truth is and I hope that your journey through the piercing community and Conference allows you to find your truths.

I hope you enjoy this look back through this year’s Conference.

The Point – Issue 84

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Point 83: Love on Me

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By Jon John

I have cancer.

I was given a slim chance of surviving. My first reaction was fear and self-blame; somehow I caused this sickness. My experience with this life threatening disease is the inspiration for this work.

This new performance Love on Me draws strength from conversations with the performance  artist Ron Athey and readings from Illness as Metaphor, by Susan Sontag. Susan Sontag prevailed over the harsh treatments of two cancer diagnoses. She denied the fatalness of her final cancer and treatment until her last breath. Ron Athey, self-describe as “living corpse” has survived decades with HIV. From Ron I have learned how to live with this dying body.

Every person gets sick.

Every person will wonder why he or she is the one to get sick, no matter if that illness is a bad cold or a terminal cancer. Metaphors help us understand the world. Metaphors for illness can comfort the anxiety of not knowing. Many are tempted to make sense of illness metaphorically, as a punishment, a sign, an opportunity, or a war raging in one’s body.

When referring to cancer and its treatment, medical professionals and patients use phrases such as “bolstering” the body’s “defenses” and “battling” the “invasive” tumor. Blood cells get “counts,” like surviving soldiers at the end of each day of war. With treatments, we use words such as “bombard,” “neutralize,” and “kill.” People whose diseases go into remission are “survivors.” Sontag notes obscure facts about chemotherapy and warfare, explaining how the earliest cancer drugs share lineage with mustard gas, just as an early syphilis treatment used arsenic—a dark irony being that the treatments, when approached with warfare mentality, are believed to cause a whole set of new health problems.

For Sontag, cancer was associated with certain inhibited personality types. The metaphor attached to cancer is repression of a desire. This suppressed longing gets, literally, “balled up” as a voracious tumor.

If cancer is a disease of passion, will love aid my struggle with this disease? Following some the modern myths that my disease is rooted in: sexual repression, inability to express emotions, failure, punishment, or an inhibited personality type— as oblation, I offer this performance and installation.

Point 83: Jonathan Arias – Artist’s Manifesto

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By Jon John

  • I believe that the action of love remains one of the few accessible ecstatic rituals in our disposable society.
  • My invocations of love are not static. The rituals and aesthetics of my childhood experiences continue to transform through research and personal connection.
  • My ritual is communal alchemy. I don’t perform for audiences but rather engaged witnesses that become co-creators. My lovers.
  • From my veins flow Basque, Argentinean and Gypo. “Gypo” is a derogatory term I own for Gitano, which is the Spanish-Roma ethnicity.
  • The complexity of my ethnicities gave dimensionality to my religious upbringing. We are a catholic family that practices magic. My people gave me the gifts of healing bodies and conjuring spirits.
  • My queerness is not in a typical narrative of exclusion, but rather a celebration of my otherness.
  • It is not a longing of something missing, but a quest with an open heart.
  • Through altered state of consciousness I transcend my spoken vocabulary, to share my hidden secrets of love, life, and loss.
  • I utilize video, photography, installation, and most notably performance.
  • Flesh, skin, and blood are my palette to take you on a journey from tenderness to brutality via beauty and decay.