Steve Haworth
Encyclopedia
Steve Haworth is a body modification
artist based in Phoenix, Arizona
. He is responsible for the invention and popularization of subdermal and transdermal implants, such as the "Metal Mohawk". He designed specialized medical instruments called dermal elevators for this process. He has also done pioneering work with surface bars, ear shaping
, tongue splitting, magnetic implants, and artistic branding (using electrocautery units). He has worked on individuals noted for their extensive modifications such as The Enigma, Katzen, Stalking Cat
and The Lizardman. He is listed in the Guinness World Records
as "Most Advanced Body Modification Artist", 1999 to present.
Many other respected artists in the body modification community cite Haworth as an inspiration. Fellow body modification artist Samppa von Cyborg says that "He's the most important, most respected body modder out there." Shawn Porter of Scar Wars explains, "I directly credit Steve’s [electrosurgery] branding as a main influence on the newer generation of scarification artists; his high detail branding (which caused a stir when it was featured in In the Flesh, Body Art, and Bizarre) showed people that you could do more than just dots, chevrons and geometric shapes." According to Ron Garza, a respected scarification artist, "Steve has always been a pioneer and innovator. He has made a huge contribution to the modification community as a whole..."
Haworth's father was a manufacturer of surgical equipment, and he continued in the family business, eventually branching into piercing jewelry and body modification instruments. He formed a company called Haworth Med Tech in the late 1980s to produce medical equipment, later called HTC (Haworth Tech Company), which had subsidiaries of HTC Body Jewelry and the HTC piercing studios. He sold the HTC piercing studios in May 2005 and retired from regular piercing, preferring to concentrate on 3D implants and other types of body modification. He continues to manufacture body jewelry and tools for body modification. He and his business partner Jesse Jarrell create unique silicone jewelry for large-gauge piercing with their company Kaos Softwear. Haworth travels around the country and the world frequently, and conducts seminars on his body modification techniques. He founded the body suspension
group Life Suspended and performs suspensions with them on regular basis. He is also the co-founder of the production company Horns & Halos, which puts on several fetish-themed events every year.
Haworth is the subject of the 2007 documentary Flesh & Blood by director Larry Silverman and also appears in the 2005 documentary Modify. He has appeared on the TV shows Extreme Dr. 90210
, Ripley's Believe it or Not, and Secret Lives of Women
, among others.
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...
artist based in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
. He is responsible for the invention and popularization of subdermal and transdermal implants, such as the "Metal Mohawk". He designed specialized medical instruments called dermal elevators for this process. He has also done pioneering work with surface bars, ear shaping
Ear shaping
Ear shaping is the process of altering the shape of the human ear as a body modification practice, often resulting in a non-human appearance. The medical procedure via which ears are reshaped to give a normal appearance is known as otoplasty...
, tongue splitting, magnetic implants, and artistic branding (using electrocautery units). He has worked on individuals noted for their extensive modifications such as The Enigma, Katzen, Stalking Cat
Stalking Cat
Dennis Avner of Tonopah, Nevada, United States, is widely known as "Cat Man," though he prefers his Native American name, Stalking Cat. Avner has spent considerable resources to surgically modify his body to resemble that of a tiger...
and The Lizardman. He is listed in the Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
as "Most Advanced Body Modification Artist", 1999 to present.
Many other respected artists in the body modification community cite Haworth as an inspiration. Fellow body modification artist Samppa von Cyborg says that "He's the most important, most respected body modder out there." Shawn Porter of Scar Wars explains, "I directly credit Steve’s [electrosurgery] branding as a main influence on the newer generation of scarification artists; his high detail branding (which caused a stir when it was featured in In the Flesh, Body Art, and Bizarre) showed people that you could do more than just dots, chevrons and geometric shapes." According to Ron Garza, a respected scarification artist, "Steve has always been a pioneer and innovator. He has made a huge contribution to the modification community as a whole..."
Haworth's father was a manufacturer of surgical equipment, and he continued in the family business, eventually branching into piercing jewelry and body modification instruments. He formed a company called Haworth Med Tech in the late 1980s to produce medical equipment, later called HTC (Haworth Tech Company), which had subsidiaries of HTC Body Jewelry and the HTC piercing studios. He sold the HTC piercing studios in May 2005 and retired from regular piercing, preferring to concentrate on 3D implants and other types of body modification. He continues to manufacture body jewelry and tools for body modification. He and his business partner Jesse Jarrell create unique silicone jewelry for large-gauge piercing with their company Kaos Softwear. Haworth travels around the country and the world frequently, and conducts seminars on his body modification techniques. He founded the body suspension
Suspension (body modification)
A suspension is the act of suspending a human body from hooks that have been put through body piercings. These piercings are temporary and are performed just prior to the actual suspension.- Method :...
group Life Suspended and performs suspensions with them on regular basis. He is also the co-founder of the production company Horns & Halos, which puts on several fetish-themed events every year.
Haworth is the subject of the 2007 documentary Flesh & Blood by director Larry Silverman and also appears in the 2005 documentary Modify. He has appeared on the TV shows Extreme Dr. 90210
Dr. 90210
Dr. 90210 is an American reality television series focusing on plastic surgery in the wealthy suburb of Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, Southern California. The series began its run in 2004. Dr...
, Ripley's Believe it or Not, and Secret Lives of Women
Secret Lives of Women
Secret Lives of Women is a reality television series airing Tuesday nights at 10pm/9 central on WE: Women's Entertainment. The show probes little-known subcultures of women in the United States...
, among others.
External links
- 3D Body Modification & Human Evolution Artist - Steve Haworth's personal website
- Life Suspended Gallery - A gallery of suspensions done by Life Suspended and Steve Haworth, at the BME websiteBME (website)Body Modification Ezine is an online magazine devoted to body modification, noted for its coverage of the extreme and fringes of body modification and erotic body play....
- Flesh & Blood - A Body Modification Documentary - Flesh & Blood movie website
- Steve Haworth - H2Ocean - Pro Team - Artist profile, contains pictures of some of Steve's work