.gif)
Modern Primitives (book)
Encyclopedia
Modern Primitives, written by V. Vale
and Andrea Juno, is a RE/Search
publications book about body modification
, published in 1989. The book consists of a collection of twenty two interviews and two essays with individuals and key figures involved the field of body modification in the late 1980s. It was one of the first documents to attempt to comprehensively cover the re-emergence and increasing popularity of tattoo
ing, piercing
, scarification
, corsetry
, sideshow
, ritual
and other practices in contemporary Western Society.
is primarily due to the widespread popularity of this book. Many of the images in the book would have been familiar to persons involved in the movement, but the book exposed several "underground" practices to a vastly greater public, including graphic images of genital piercing
and genital bisection
and scarification
. The book also advanced numerous urban legends regarding the history and origin of body piercing, which remain widespread to this day, most notably Doug Malloy (Richard Simonton
)'s invented origins of various piercings.
V. Vale
V. "Valhalla" Vale is a writer, keyboard player and, as Vale Hamanaka, was a member of the initial configuration of Blue Cheer, prior to that band becoming famous as a power trio. He is the publisher and primary contributor to books and magazines published by his company, RE/Search Publications...
and Andrea Juno, is a RE/Search
RE/Search
RE/Search Publications is an American magazine and book publisher, based in San Francisco, founded and edited by Andrea Juno and V. Vale in 1980. It was the successor to Vale's earlier punk rock fanzine Search & Destroy , and was started with $100 from Allen Ginsberg and Lawrence Ferlinghetti...
publications book about body modification
Body modification
Body modification is the deliberate altering of the human body for any non-medical reason, such as aesthetics, sexual enhancement, a rite of passage, religious reasons, to display group membership or affiliation, to create body art, shock value, or self expression...
, published in 1989. The book consists of a collection of twenty two interviews and two essays with individuals and key figures involved the field of body modification in the late 1980s. It was one of the first documents to attempt to comprehensively cover the re-emergence and increasing popularity of tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
ing, piercing
Body piercing
Body piercing, a form of body modification, is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewelry may be worn. The word piercing can refer to the act or practice of body piercing, or to an opening in the body created by this act or practice...
, scarification
Scarification
Scarifying involves scratching, etching, burning, or superficially cutting designs, pictures, or words into the skin as a permanent body modification.In the process of body scarification, scars are formed by cutting or branding the skin...
, corsetry
Corsetry
Corsetry is the craft of making corsets and corset-like garments and accessories most of which incorporate stays. It is also a subfield of fashion that deals with those garments and accessories and it is common term used for those garments and accessories...
, sideshow
Sideshow
In America, a sideshow is an extra, secondary production associated with a circus, carnival, fair or other such attraction.- Types of attractions :There are four main types of classic sideshow attractions:...
, ritual
Ritual
A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers....
and other practices in contemporary Western Society.
Influence
At the time of its publication, Modern Primitives was the first text to attempt to comprehensively address the issues, aesthetics and meaning involved in the subject of body modification. The public knowledge of the term Modern PrimitiveModern primitive
Modern primitives or urban primitives are people in developed nations who engage in body modification rituals and practices while making reference or homage to the rite of passage practices in "primitive cultures" These practices may include body piercing, tattooing, play piercing, flesh hook...
is primarily due to the widespread popularity of this book. Many of the images in the book would have been familiar to persons involved in the movement, but the book exposed several "underground" practices to a vastly greater public, including graphic images of genital piercing
Genital piercing
Genital piercing is a form of body piercing and is considered a form of body modification. It involves piercing a part of the genitalia and subsequently inserting and keeping a foreign object in the opening until the wound heals. This forms a tunnel of skin around the foreign object, thus creating...
and genital bisection
Genital bisection
Genital bisection in males involves the splitting of the penis . This still allows for erection, though often the two halves curve into each other, making insertion more difficult....
and scarification
Scarification
Scarifying involves scratching, etching, burning, or superficially cutting designs, pictures, or words into the skin as a permanent body modification.In the process of body scarification, scars are formed by cutting or branding the skin...
. The book also advanced numerous urban legends regarding the history and origin of body piercing, which remain widespread to this day, most notably Doug Malloy (Richard Simonton
Richard Simonton
Richard Simonton , also known under the pseudonym Doug Malloy, was a Hollywood businessman and entrepreneur, known for his involvement in the Hollywood community, his rescue of the steamboat the Delta Queen, his work in preserving the work of musicians in the Welte-Mignon piano rolls and for...
)'s invented origins of various piercings.
List of interviewees & essayists
- Fakir MusafarFakir MusafarFakir Musafar is considered the father of the modern primitive movement. He has experimented on his own body with body modification techniques such as body piercing, tightlacing, scarification, tattooing, and suspension, and has documented, shared and taught others as part of his life's work...
- Tattoo Mike
- ManWoman
- Don Ed HardyDon Ed HardyDon Ed Hardy is an American artist raised in Southern California. Hardy is best known for his tattoo work and his eponymous apparel and accessories brand Ed Hardy.-Early life:Hardy was born in 1945 in Corona del Mar, Newport Beach, California...
- Captain Don
- Jane Handel
- Wes Christensen (essay)
- Anton LaVeyAnton LaVeyAnton Szandor LaVey , born Howard Stanton Levey, was the founder of the Church of Satan as well as a writer, occultist, and musician...
- Leo Zulueta
- Raelyn Gallina
- Bill Salmon
- Sheree Rose
- Lyle TuttleLyle TuttleLyle Tuttle is a well-known American tattoo artist and historian of the medium, who has been tattooing since 1949.-Biographical and career information:...
- Vaughn
- Vyvyn LazongaVyvyn LazongaVyvyn Lazonga, born Beverly Bean, is a tattoo artist who began her career in Seattle in the early 1970s. She was one of the first women to work for herself in the industry, not her husband or another male shop owner. She worked in San Francisco and was tattooed by Ed Hardy in the 70's. She won the...
- Monte CazazzaMonte CazazzaMonte Cazazza is an American artist and composer best known for his seminal role in helping shape the early landscape of industrial music through recordings with the London-based Industrial Records in the mid-1970s.-Career:...
- Dan Thome
- Hanky PankyHenk SchiffmacherHendrikus Johannes Everhardus Schiffmacher is a Dutch tattoo artist who is also considered an expert within the field of body decoration, having curated exhibitions, written books and presented television shows on the subject...
- Charlie Cartwright
- Greg KulzGreg KulzGreg Kulz is a San Francisco-based tattoo artist whose work has been considered highly influential in the Modern Primitive Movement. He is also known for pioneering both fluorescent and luminescent tattoos.He is featured in the RE/Search publications book Modern Primitives, written by V...
- Heather McDonald
- David Levi Strauss (essay)
- Jim Ward
- GenesisGenesis P-OrridgeGenesis Breyer P-Orridge is an English singer-songwriter, musician, writer and artist. P-Orridge's early confrontational performance work in COUM Transmissions in the late 1960s and early 1970s along with the industrial band Throbbing Gristle, which dealt with subjects such as prostitution,...
& Paula P-OrridgePaula P-OrridgePaula P-Orridge , also known as Alaura O'Dell, is an English musician.P-Orridge's musical career began in 1979 when she met musician and artist Genesis P-Orridge while working at a Tesco supermarket in Hackney, East London.Prior to meeting Genesis she had had some connection to the Industrial...