Book Review: Traditional Tattoo in Japan

bookreview

The publishers at Edition Reuss have done it again, with the beautifully laid out and interesting book, Traditional Tattoo in Japan: HORIKAZU. This book is a comprehensive look at the the life work of Tattoo Master Horikazu, from Asakusa, Tokyo.

Click through to read the full review.

I will freely confess my ignorance to this Master’s tattoo work so it was a pleasure to receive this book and be able to learn about such a highly skilled artist who touched so many with his work. Don’t be mistaken, this is more than just a tattoo book, this is a biography of images and contains not only the artist’s work but also photographs from his own archives, drawings, paintings and a very touching collection of photos from the artist’s funeral service.

Horikazu Sensei was a horishi (a traditional Japanese tattoo master) who, the book tells us, had been actively working for forty years. He worked in the traditional tebori method of hand tattooing. The book begins with an interview with Horikazu where he talks about his past, his education in tattooing, some of his experiences, and personal stories, as well as insights into the beauty of traditional Japanese tattoo work.

Photo by Martin Hladik.

The text contained in the book is not the focus and while the articles are interesting, it is the photos that demand our attention. Personal photos of Horikazu with his family and loved ones give us a glimpse into his life and the way he worked. It feels like a privilege to be able to view photos from his archives, that he collected and saved over his extensive career. These photos reveal his earlier work and stand as a photographic ethnography of traditional tattooing.

Photo by Martin Hladik.

Photo by Martin Hladik.

Also contained within the book are beautiful photographs of artwork done by Horikazu with detailed photos that carry explanations into the designs and motifs. On page 115, we are told that “Lovers often pray to Kannon, asking to be granted the joy of being united in heaven on the same lotus after their death”, with a beautiful accompanying photo of the bodhisattva. These motifs and explanations are as educational as they are a pleasure to look at and would be useful both to tattoo artists and collectors interested in learning more about Japanese art and motifs.

Art by Horikazu. Photo by Martin Hladik.

The photographs of the artist’s work stand as a testament to the love and loyalty of his clients. They demonstrate the patience and dedication that comes from having such extensive work that can only be completed over many sessions and the lifelong commitment of covering one’s body in tattoo work. One of the striking things about traditional tattoos is that while they cover can cover the body from head to toe, they consist of one piece, a design that carries over the entire expanse of skin and transforms the wearer into living art.

Photo by Martin Hladik.

Photo by Martin Hladik.

We are also taken through a Sanja festival, a three day festival that includes drinking, dancing, and as we’re told on page 397, debauchery. This festival is one in which the yakuza (Japanese mafia) are known to take part. Here they strip down and display their tattoos for all to see, and as we learn from this book, regular citizens mingle with these legendary men. Traditional costumes and geisha are seen at the festival and this section of the book is an interesting glimpse at a culture that is very unlike the West.

Photo by Martin Hladik.

Photo by Martin Hladik.

Another contrast of cultures comes in the section of the book that is a memorial to Horikazu Sensei, who died on November 15, 2011. It was the photos from his funeral which struck me the most as the cultural differences between my own Western (Canadian) upbringing and the Eastern (Japanese) approach were profound. I found myself deeply moved by this series of photos and lingered upon them appreciating the beauty in the way this man’s life was being honoured.

Photo by Martin Hladik.

Photo by Martin Hladik.

The final section of the book is devoted to Horikazuwaka (Horikazu’s eldest son) who is also a horishi in Asakusa. An interview prefaces a collection of photos that show how tradition is being carried on, from father to son.

Horikazuwaka carrying on his father’s tradition. Photo by Martin Hladik.

Like other publications from Reuss, this book contains text in multiple languages, broadening the scope of reader to include English, French and German. Unlike some of the other publications from Reuss, this is more biography and cultural history than strictly a “tattoo book”. It holds appeal for those interested in traditional Japanese tattooing as well as those interested in Japanese culture. While this is only about one man it is also a broader look at a culture.

At a whopping book, weighing in at 7.9 lbs. and containing 492 pages. It is meant for the collector, a beautifully put together work of art of its own right (and would make a handy weapon too, I have a hard time lifting it). This is the sort of book you leave on display and will certainly never lose value. It can be purchased directly through the publisher or at Amazon (and many other online retailers).

Traditional Tattoo in Japan: HORIKAZU
Photography: Martin Hladik
Authors: Miho Kawasaki, Fiona Graham, Agnès Giard, Eberhard J. Wormer
Hardcover: 492 pages
Publisher: Edition Reuss
Languages: English, French, German
ISBN: 3943105105
Dimensions: 11.8 x 11.5 x 1.7 inches
Weight: 7.9 lbs

Book Review: Deviled Art

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Recently, I received the book Deviled Art: Sketches and Paintings by Travis Franklin for review. This isn’t a tattoo book like I have reviewed recently but rather contains artwork and sketches by tattoo artist Travis Franklin.

Click through to read the rest of the review.

You won’t find any photos of tattoos within this book, it is strictly a traditional art book but that doesn’t mean the appeal for body modification enthusiasts is non-existent. The artwork is focused mainly on darker images, skulls, skeletons and zombies and much of Travis’ work is the design product that would then be used to create a tattoo.

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One thing that sets this book apart and makes it more than a simple sketchbook is the fact that the book includes notes and thoughts by the artist. The font for the text is meant to look like hand writing and the effect is one I really like as it feels like I have been allowed to glimpse deeper into the artist, his method and the things that motivate him.

deviledart-bme1

While the book might have benefited from an editor to eliminate the few grammatical errors, it certainly is not lacking in interesting artwork. This is definitely not a book of flash art but rather a journey through a tattoo artist’s process both on and off the page.

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While the paintings certainly speak to the artist’s talent, for me the sketches are even more enjoyable as they show the hesitation, the thought and the process of realizing a piece of art. It seems quite common for people to believe that a tattoo artist merely copies a design from a piece of flash onto someone’s skin. This book reminds us that a tattoo artist is just that, an artist.

deviledart-bme

As far as I can tell the only current way to purchase this book is directly from the artist through his website, travisfranklin.com. The book retails at $40 and is hardcover printed on high quality paper meaning this book will hold up to repeated viewing.

Travis Franklin has been tattooing professionally for just under 20 years and credits Tattoo Charlie for letting him in the industry at age 17. He works out of his shop, Oddity Tattoo Studio & Art Gallery in Sarasota, Florida.

Editors: Tammy Zeitler Zeitler, Travis Franklin
Illustrated by: Travis Franklin
Contributors: Brittany Helmer, Travis Franklin
Hardcover: 124 pages
Publisher: Poor Mel, 2011
ISBN 0615493262

Book Review: Color Tattoo Art

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It was last October when I reviewed Marisa Kakoulas’ book, Black and Grey Tattoo: From Street Art to Fine Art. Well, Marisa has teamed up with Edition Reuss and has done it again. Unlike it’s predecessor, Color Tattoo Art is only one volume but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t do some serious damage if wielded correctly!

Read on!

This book is a massive 496 pages packed full of beautiful photographs and stunning work by a variety of artists. This is a true art book and one that begs to be displayed somewhere visible. The cover alone is fantastic. Within, the glossy pages give you image after image of clear beautiful tattoo work and art by such artists as Gunnar, Woodpecker, Ulrich Krammer, King Rat, Sean Herman, Tony Ciavarro, Holly Azzara and many many more!

It also includes interviers (and photos) by artists Joe Capobianco, Genko, Kristel Oreto, Ed Perdomo, Elecric Pick, Jesse Smith and Olivier.

Like its predecessor, this book is multilingual with text in English, German and French. Also like it’s predecessor, while this book does include some interviews and an introduction by Marissa along with a foreward on “Heroes of Pop Culture” by Eberhard J. Wormer, the main focus of this book lies in the art.

Electric Pick

Electric Pick

The artwork in this book speaks for itself, page after colorful page. The work is as varied as the artists and covers a wide scope of subjects. This book isn’t just for tattoo artists and enthusiasts. As I mentioned previously, this is an art book. Anyone with an appreciation of art and particularly street and underground artwork, graffiti, comic art and the lowbrow art movement will appreciate this book. Of particular interest to me was a page featuring concept work by Woodpecker alongside a few photos of the finished products. The bright, bold work features some truly intricate designs that deserve more than a passing glance making this a book you will want to pick up time and time again.

Slawek

Slawek

Curious, I asked Marissa how she chose the artists that appear in the book:

Selecting the artists is difficult. Of course, there are long-time standouts in the genre but I’ve also travelled to a number of international conventions to look through portfolios and meet artists whom I didn’t know before. I ask many for suggestions, particularly from editors of international tattoo magazines; for example, I had a lot of help from Aleksandra Skoczylas of Tattoo Fest Magazine in Poland, Libor Smelik of Tetovani in the Czech Republic, and Miho Kawasaki and Izumi Akiba of Tattoo Burst in Japan. And of course, I spend a lot of hours online looking through portfolios. Curating the content is the hardest part of the job. Of course, I cannot feature every wonderful artist who specializes in this genre (either they don’t have time to participate or have their own projects), but I’m thrilled with the 42 artists featured from around the world.

Certainly, she has reason to be thrilled. Featuring artists from around the globe gives readers a chance to check out the work coming out of other countries as well as what may be right in their backyard. The focus in the media and in magazines, at least in North American, tends to remain solely on American artists. Here we have a chance to become familiar with artists and their work that we may otherwise never have known.

Backpiece by Genko

Backpiece by Genko

Asked if she faced any challenges while putting this book together, Marissa said:

What was really a challenge and most interesting was figuring out the title! As we went along, talking to artists and collecting amazing stories and imagery, we felt that “New School” wasn’t the perfect fit for the really innovative, exciting “color bombs” featured. What is “new school” anyway? As I note in my introduction, around the late eighties and early nineties, the label “New School” was often used to describe art that did not fit into traditional tattoo categories—much to the chagrin of some tattooists, who never wanted to be labeled in the first place. And so we decided to give the book a highly literal title so there would be little question about what dynamic work it holds: “Color Tattoo Art: Cartoon. Comics. Pin-Up. Manga. New School.”

Sleeve by Steph D

Sleeve by Steph D

The variety is apparent with each page turn. Busty pin-up girls. Superheroes. Nature. Religious themes. Smaller pieces to full back pieces. This book does not leave anything out, including featuring paintings and illustrations by the artists as well as beautiful portraits of the artists themselves, revealing the person behind the art. Portraits of the artists at work or snapshots at play such as that of Jime Litwalk eating popcicles with his son or Kowhey with his family provide us with more than a look at their work but a glimpse into the lives of these talented artists as well.

Jime Litwalk and son

Jime Litwalk and son

So what was it Marisa was looking to accomplish with this book?

The goal of the books is to present tattooing in a serious and artful way, respectful of the work on its pages. I think of them like my law school textbooks that have been on my shelf for over 17 years: they are meant to be timeless — art and law evolve like everything else but these books capture a moment, a foundation that is built upon. So looking back upon them, say 10 years from now, we can see how the art has moved forward. More practically, the books are also meant to be reference tools to inspire artists and collectors.

I would say that she has done just that, presented a timeless look into the world of colour tattoos and packaged it in such a way that the book itself becomes a piece of art and one that tattoo collectors and enthusiasts as well as those with an appreciation of the many forms of art would be remiss not to include on their shelves.

Art by Gunnar

Art by Gunnar

Looking to get a copy for yourself or maybe you would like to get one for a gift? Right now you can snag a copy from the author herself at a reduced price. These are limited so snatch one up quickly before she’s out! Marisa is offering copies for $158 with shipping in the United States and $180 with shipping to Canada. Email Marisa about getting your copy.

Too late? If you happen upon this after Marisa is out of copies, never fear!

In Europe, you can get a copy through http://www.hermansky-books.com/

In the US & Canada, through Amazon and other bookstores.

Marisa Kakoulas is a New York lawyer, writer, and self-described tattoo nerd. You can find her blogging over at Needles and Sins.

Author: Marisa Kakoulas
Hardcover: 496 pages
Publisher: Editions Reuss (June 30, 2011)
Language: English, German, French
ISBN-10: 3934020933
ISBN-13: 978-3934020931
Shipping Weight: 7.5 pounds

BME Book Review: Black & Grey Tattoo

bookreview

I was thrilled to find out I would have the opportunity to review the newest tattoo book on the market, Black and Grey Tattoo: From Street Art to Fine Art by our old friend Marisa Kakoulas (who wrote Legal Link for BME) and co-authored with Edgar Hoill. I’ll admit, I was also a little nervous, after all, Marisa is a friend and what would I say if the book wasn’t up to snuff? All those worries went out the window when I finally got my hands on it.

black-grey-tattoo

This is actually a three volume set and to my knowledge the first multi-volume set featuring the work of some of the world’s greatest tattoo artists. From street art to fine art indeed, the range and diversity of the work is amazing and the talent is unquestionable.

Read on for my review!

Marisa called this book mammoth and she wasn’t joking, it is mammoth in both scope and weight! Make sure you lift with your knees when you pick this thing up! Marisa says it weighs around 22 lbs but it felt more like 50 to me!
Ok, enough joking around; let’s talk about what’s inside. The first thing that strikes you are the covers. The work adorning each front is simply breathtaking and with the embossed title running along the front of this hardcover set, this is the kind of book you’ll want to keep on display. Volume one is dedicated to traditional black and grey tattoo work (336 pages), volume two is dark and horror (400 pages) and volume three is photorealism (272 pages).

black-and-grey-tattoo1 black-and-grey-tattoo2 black-and-grey-tattoo3

Flipping it open you’ll find that the included text comes in not only English but German and Spanish as well. There are portraits of the artists as you are introduced to their work so you can see the man (or woman) behind the art. Not only are you treated to some of the most incredible tattoo work I have ever seen; there are also drawings and paintings by the artists showing you they are unquestionably fine artists ranging from across the globe.

Tatu Will

Tatu Will

Interviews with some of the greats are included but this set is heavy on the photos and light on the text putting the focus exactly where it belongs, on the art. Sometimes books about tattoos become more about the authors opinions than the artwork but you won’t find any of that here. Marisa and Edgar keep their voices to a minimum, letting the artists’ work speak for itself. How refreshing! This set is first and foremost, a celebration of the art of tattoo, but don’t get me wrong, you don’t have to be a tattoo enthusiast to enjoy this. The striking photography and incredible work make this book a must for anyone with an appreciation of art and photography. This book would feel just as at home next to other fine art books as it would in a tattoo studio.

Edward "Chuco" Caballero

Edward “Chuco” Caballero

The tattoos range from full body suits to knuckles. The work, as I mentioned, is breathtaking. Volume One includes interviews with Jack Rudy, an icon with over 35 years of experience and Jesus “Chuey” Quintanar, a man whose work speaks for itself. In Volume Two, you’ll find interviews with the master of the dark tattoo, Paul Booth, and Xu Zhicheng, out of Beijing whose bold work has earned him international respect. Finally, in Volume Three, Bavarian Andy Engel, who specializes in realism and well-known portrait artist Bob Tyrrell round out the stellar cast of interviewees. In addition to these fine artists you’ll also find work by renowned artists such as Freddy Negrete, Brian Everett, Mark Mahoney, Dan Henk, Kari Barba, Tim Kern, and Tim Hendricks to name a few.

I won’t give anything away, you need to read these interviews for yourself when you pick up your own copy. Each artist has something unique to say and their interviews are coupled with some quotes from other artists and clients to round out the set but it’s by far the photos that make this set so desirable. I wanted to pick out a favourite from each volume but found that I couldn’t. There were so many photos and the work was so top notch that it is impossible for me to say any one photo is a favourite over the others.

Bob Tyrrell

Bob Tyrrell

Dan Marshall

Dan Marshall

While many of the names were familiar to me, most of the work was not and with each turn of the page I was blown away. I admit, part of me was envious, both of the talent that these artists possess and also of their clients who are fortunate enough to carry this art on their skin. I’m a fan of portraiture and expected the Photorealism volume to be my favourite but found myself admiring each volume equally.

Abey Alvarez

Abey Alvarez

Tim Kern

Tim Kern

It is so nice to see a tattoo book that is exactly what it should be, a celebration of the art and the individuals who make it possible. I have a small collection of tattoo related books and I’ve seen many others that for one reason or another I don’t own. Black and Grey Tattoo stands out among those books, it sets the bar high and makes its home comfortably among the massive tomes of classic art and photography, matching them in quality and class.
With over 1000 pages and coming in its own beautiful box, this would make a perfect gift for the holidays or a birthday, or buy it for yourself, because you deserve it! This stunning coffee table book is something you’ll be proud to display whether you’re tattooed or not.

If you want your very own copy (you know you do), you can find it on Amazon, currently retailing for $414 USD, or $422.83 CDN. In Europe you can get the book from Hermansky Books for $248 EU.

Also, if you act quickly, Marisa is selling some of her author copies at a reduced rate, so you can contact her for a copy. She only has a limited number so don’t wait.

Black Grey Tattoo
Hardcover: 1008 pages
Publisher: Gazelle Distribution
Languages: English, Spanish, German
ISBN: 3934020852
Dimensions: 15.1 x 11.8 x 5.4 inches
Weight: 22.5 pounds

Marisa Kakoulas is a New York lawyer and writer. She is currently blogging over at Needles and Sins.

edgar Edgar Hoill is a photographer and editor of Lowrider Arte Magazine. You can visit his website: OSOK

ONANISME MANU MILTARI II by Lukas Zpira [The BME Book Review]

ONANISME MANU MILTARI II by Lukas Zpira

FIRST, LOOK INSIDE… THE BOOK IS THE ART

Click here to order ONANISME MANU MILTARI by LUKAS ZPIRA now!

A review by Shannon Larratt

Lukas Zpira, as a person, is extremely stylish and fashionable, and this book, intended to capture his artistic vision, mirrors that aesthetic. But I must be honest with you. I’m not a stylish or fashionable guy, and it’s probably fair to say that I am actively unfashionable in fact. Not only that, but I don’t care much for modern art, and less for the explanations artists use to justify it — so much so that it makes it difficult for me to relate to this book, and for that I apologize.

An enormous amount of effort has been done on processing and manipulating the photos and layout. In some ways this is good, because it captures the feel of Lukas Zpira as an artist, but, on the other hand, it also distorts the images so much that what most of us perceive as Lukas’s actual art, contained in the photos, is difficult to make out and is no longer able to speak for itself. Rather than presenting the pieces as they were created, the book retells them not as the world sees them, but as Lukas Zpira sees them. One could also argue that nearly all of the photos in the book have already been published online in a far clearer and more effective way.

The text of the book I feel makes the same presentation error (or success), although I’m sure a great deal is lost in the translation (it is written with both English and the original French). Most of the writing is highly philosophical, abstract, and arty, and in some ways feels like it’s “trying” to be so. For me, body art is a very down to earth subject, and personally I like seeing it presented in terms that are honest and tangible. Since I couldn’t relate to most of the text, I found myself seeing it as boring, shallow, and misleading. Maybe I’m missing the point, or maybe other people are fooling themselves into thinking there’s a point a la The Emperor Wears No Clothes. I have no idea.

While I do believe that this limited edition book is an essential addition to any body modification and body art library, I worry that Lukas Zpira has perhaps limited himself by presenting such a pure expression of his art — of himself — rather than opening a clearer channel for the uninitiated — or those like me with different tastes — to understand it. Or perhaps those people will never understand the core of what Lukas Zpira is saying — it’s not as if I’ve gotten better at choosing clothes that match as I’ve aged. If anything, I’ve gotten worse.

But really, I’m looking at and reviewing the book in entirely the wrong way. It’s not a portfolio of Lukas’s work. It’s not a grounded discussion of scarification, piercing, and surgical body modification, nor is it supposed to be. If you’re looking for that, you won’t enjoy or find meaning in the book. But if you come into the experience looking to discover the essence of Lukas Zpira’s vision, independent of the corporal aspect of his work, you’ll find it. ONANISME MANU MILITARI II exists separate from the scalpels and the spatulas, and even separate from the skin that adorns its pages — it is a work of art in and of itself.

    – Shannon Larratt


A Review by Jordan Ginsberg

To give credit where it’s due, few artists in the body modification community have propelled themselves to “rock star” status quite like Lukas Zpira has. Really, he’s like the U2 of body artists: From day one, he’s made himself out to be the biggest, most interesting and important thing out there, and has done so with no apologies. Initially making a name for himself as a world-class scarification artist, Zpira quickly began winning crowds over with his sideshow-cum-fetish performance art group, ART KOR, which fused suspension and bloodletting with more traditional fetishistic aspects — such as Japanese rope bondage — in a far more sexual manner than many other performers were embracing at the time. Thanks to the uniqueness of his work, his larger-than-life attitude about himself, and his relentless touring schedule — taking his act and his art all over the world many times over — Lukas quickly reached veritable celebrity status.

More than just a showman though, Zpira has always emphasized the philosophical backing behind the work that he does and the lifestyle he espouses, a body of thought that he’s dubbed “Hacktivism.” Rather than following the path of the modern primitives, Zpira’s Hacktivism seems to be the modus operandi of the cyberpunk-fakir — a methodology based on how these rites of the flesh relate to the future rather than their tribal histories.

Onanisme Manu Militari II, Zpira’s new Hors-Editions book, is an unfortunate misfire in several respects, particularly due to its attempts to be too many things at once; unsure of whether it wants to be a photography-based coffee table book or a philosophical guide, the result is a messy synthesis of the two.

The book is not an absolute disappointment, of course. Primarily a photo-based work, shots from a variety of photographers — including Zpira himself — are included, and by and large it’s all top-notch. Bright, brilliantly saturated colors contrasted with heavy shadows bring out the best in the subjects, whether they’re clients of Lukas’ bearing scars or implants he’s performed, or occasionally even Lukas himself. As a showcase of his work, the book works extremely well; Lukas is undoubtedly highly skilled, and brings to the table an exciting, unique style of scarification, as well as fresh takes on implant designs and other pseudo-surgical procedures such as ear-pointing and tongue-splitting, all of which get their time in the spotlight in the book. Often augmented with distressed filters and scorched backgrounds, the images themselves are generally striking and fascinating; sadly, they suffer from the book’s small format. Presented on standard 8.5 by 11” paper, high-quality glossy as it may be, photos such as these would have benefited far more from being published in a larger format, more traditional coffee-table book size. With shots as busy and full as these, each one should be treated more like an event than as just another page in a book, so to speak.

Where the wheels really begin to come off, however, is the textual content. Again, Zpira is markedly philosophic in his background, and I wouldn’t suggest that he’s anything but authentic in his beliefs; that said, the written portions of the book largely come off as little more than pretension masking an absence of viable content. Though the text is limited to a handful of short essays — printed in both English and French — that are seldom longer than a single page, they’re as distracting as they are difficult to concentrate on. Now, this is not to put it all on Lukas — there are a number of authors featured in addition to Zpira, though their segments are essentially limited to discussing their (very, very similar) takes on Lukas himself, rarely reaching beyond fellatious back-slapping and sophomoric musings on any number of “cyber”-based compound words.

Now, while not written by Lukas, the inclusion of these passages speaks as little more than blatant self-aggrandizement, which is not necessarily out of place altogether, but the extent of its presence here is somewhat suspect. Zpira’s portions, while marginally more substantial, are unfortunately disappointing as well—because they often suggest that there is more to the story than he chose to share. Ranging from the autobiographical and the political to the poetic and apocalyptic, the topics covered are broad in scope, yet all coalesce at a similar yet borderline incoherent point; south of “Be what you want to be,” but just north of “Evolve or die!”

Zpira’s philosophy is almost transhumanist in some respects; not simply an acknowledgement that the human body is imperfect, it also embodies an effort to correct this biological error. Though, while transhumanists typically seek more medical and scientific-related fixes, the Hacktivist revolution is ostensibly an aesthetic one; a method of reinventing one’s self by reshaping one’s image and identity; better living through keloids, if you will. And of course, this is not to discount it, but to see it propped up as a grand calling of the future is mostly disingenuous, and tragically overblown.

Finally, clocking in at a brisk 126 pages, the 40-Euro (roughly $50 USD) price tag is quite steep. Were it in a larger format and maybe 100 pages longer, focusing more on the photography and less on pretentious techno-babble, such a cost may be justifiable. It’s well produced, with a sturdy hardcover and unquestionably high-quality images, but the presentation simply does not do the art justice. While this is without question a must-have for admirers of Lukas and his work, those with little attachment or knowledge of him would likely be better off checking out his web site before spending the money on this book.

    – Jordan Ginsberg

Click here to order ONANISME MANU MILTARI by LUKAS ZPIRA now!


This page and its contents are © 2005 Shannon Larratt – Reproduced under license by BMEzine.com LLC. All rights reserved. Requests to reprint must be confirmed in writing. For bibliographical purpose this review was published September 16th, 2005 in La Paz, BCS, Mexico.

Like A Butterfly (Lukas Zpira in Japan DVD) [The BME Book Review]

  
DVD available at BMEshop

Like a Butterfly
DVD: Lukas Zpira Japan Tour


On a recent trip to Namibia (in Africa for those that don’t know their geography) our flight routed through London Heathrow in the United Kingdom. Standing a few feet in front of us in line was Lukas Zpira, his daughter Mayliss, and his wife Satomi! It turns out that they were returning from a long tour across Japan and just happened to pass through customs at the same moment as Rachel and I. Before we parted, Lukas gave me a copy of the documentary DVD that Ryoichi Maeda had released about his time in Japan.

I’ve known Lukas for seven or eight years both personally and professionally and have a great deal of respect for him as an artist — both technically and in terms of the fine art and philosophy aspect — as a performer, and as a friend. Lukas is one of a very small number of scarification artists whose work can be recognized by its design factors (which I feel is one of the marks of a true artist, rather than simply someone who is accomplished at their craft), and in part because of that, and in part because I felt running into him was a “sign” that the time was right (yeah, laugh it up), I asked Lukas to do a cutting on my face a few weeks later (story coming soon).

Glowing review on both the cutting and the DVD from me.

I enjoyed this DVD immensely, and although I think he thinks it’s a little rough around the edges, it gives an excellent insight into what motives Lukas Zpira and what makes him tick as an artist. In addition, it contains highly detailed and closeup footage of him performing implants and cuttings, as well as performance footage. It’s not a how-to or anything of the sort, but it shows much more than any other documentary on him ever has. In any case, it’s obvious that I’m a fan — so in order to get a less biased review, I asked BME’s Jordan Ginsberg (who recently reported on Lukas’s Mexico Trip in his article Hola Gringo) to look it over and let us know what he thought.

Like A Butterfly
Review by Jordan Ginsberg

The Like A Butterfly DVD had been sitting on my desk for about two weeks before I finally got around to watching it. I wasn’t avoiding it, but apparently living in Mexico is conducive to lethargy. And alcoholism. But mostly lethargy.

I’m rather surprised by the lack of film releases devoted to heavier modification work and ritual practices in general; these areas have so much to offer visually — and are, by and large, covered extensively by photographers — but have seldom made the transition to retail video. Like A Butterfly, directed by Eric Bossick and produced by Ryoichi “Keroppy” Maeda (IAM:RYOICHI), is a wonderfully shot, personal account of Lukas Zpira’s exploits while touring through Japan. With the low-end rumble of Deseptagon’s electronic beats providing the soundtrack, the 50 minute movie provides a glimpse into the procedures of one of the world’s most talented and respected body artists.

The movie begins with one of several interview segments with Lukas that are interspersed throughout the rest of the footage. Providing a short primer about himself, he explains his history as an artist and how traditional visual arts were somewhat unfulfilling — until he realized that he could use the human body as a canvas.

Divided up into separate chapters for Cutting, Skin-Removal Scarification, Tongue Splitting, Implants, and Suspension — most of which are prefaced by another interview segment with Lukas that pertains to the work at hand — the film offers viewers procedural footage that may be entirely new terrain to them. Seeing pictures of, say, a skin removal scarification piece is one thing, but watching in real-time as Lukas deftly cuts away at the underside of a young man’s chin as blood faucets out is another experience altogether. Which is another thing: This is a graphic film. Lukas makes no bones about his love of blood, and this DVD certainly represents that. Nudity is mostly kept to a minimum (nothing below the belt), though there is one truly surreal scene in a club where a young man — who, mind you, is inexplicably bare naked — is furiously masturbating his pixellated penis while Lukas performs a cutting in the foreground. Other than that, the occasional bare-breasted, slightly bloody Japanese girl is all one has to look forward to in this department.

(Somewhere in California, Rivers Cuomo’s ears just perked up. I will bet money on this.)

Lukas’ interview segments, while occasionally difficult to decipher due to the video camera’s microphone being the sole audio source (it seems), are certainly worth watching. He often avoids going into too much detail about the work itself, and instead waxes philosophical; outlining his theories and methodologies about body modification and, in some ways, humanity in general, Lukas certainly presents himself not as a simple cutter or practitioner, but as a very real artist with a clear vision and sense of direction about his life, career and ideas. Lukas, too, is about as charming as they come — eternally at ease on camera and fully content with his status as something of a rock star in the community. Even if there is difficulty understanding him at times, you will be glad to re-watch his segments to catch what you might have missed; his glowing personality and candor are infectious.

It was, however, the footage of the procedural scenes that scored highest with me. Filmed with only one camera, Lukas’ work is documented extremely clearly and vividly here — and again, this may be some peoples’ first opportunity to see these procedures performed on video, rather than just seeing photographs. Not to marginalize the community’s photographers either, but there are obviously fundamental differences between experiencing these acts through different media.

The bulk of the footage is shot in typical piercing studios; cutting, peeling, tongue splitting and implant videos have all been filmed in typically sterile rooms. The camerawork is sharp and precise; the multitude of close-up shots (they dominate the footage) showcase Lukas’ steady precision, and give viewers potential insights into one of the modern master’s techniques.

As I mentioned in my report on my trip to BodyFest in Mexico City, Lukas is one of the most confident people I’ve ever seen work in this field, and easily one of the fastest — he makes this stuff look simple, and in spite of being acutely aware of his own abilities, he remains terribly humble. His young daughter, Mayliss, is even present for much of the filming; during one woman’s cutting, she gently strokes her hair to help soothe and relax her. Having grown up around this sort of thing, she is completely unfazed by the work her father does — she’s even hanging out in the club (the site of the aforementioned pixellated masturbator) that acts as the setting for the remainder of the footage, which is largely suspension performances. Those partaking in the suspensions generally appear to be relative novices though — it almost seems to be more of a SusCon vibe than an actual show. With a crowd of cheering onlookers, Lukas assists each of the participants with his or her rite, every pained wince and blissful moment caught on film.

In one of the film’s most touching moments, Dita (BMEjapan), after landing back on the ground following her suspension, falls into Lukas’ arms as ecstatic tears stream down her face, thanking him over and over again. Lukas, as usual, is all smiles.

Like A Butterfly is hardly the definitive procedural film — that film hasn’t been made yet, and I don’t think that’s what is trying to be achieved here. As documentation of Lukas’ expertise, footage the likes of which is rarely seen for sale these days, and a look into methods and philosophy of one of the most talented body modification artists practicing today, however, it succeeds admirably.


Shameless plug: Buy the DVD at BMEshop

Ten Years of Pain [The BME Book Review]


Ten Years of Pain
by Håvve Fjell – Review by Shannon Larratt
  
LOOK INSIDE

Being a fakir is not just about showmanship, it is a way of life, a philosophy. You can not learn the discipline if you are not born with the urge to explore the limits of the body.

- Håvve Fjell

This may well be the best body play related book I have ever read (wow!). It is the first book in a long time where I’ve been felt an empathic connection with the content and been drawn deeper and deeper as I progressed. Not since I was a child reading science fiction on winter nights have I been so singularly possessed by a work of prose.

title:
Ten Years of Pain
author:
Håvve Fjell,
photographs by Helene Fjell
author iam:
bleeding
author url:
http://www.painsolution.net/
pages:
180
publisher:
Hertervig Forlag, Norway
rating:
10/10
reviewer:
Shannon Larratt
isbn:
82-92023-12-7
purchase:
BMEshop
summary:
An intimate ten-year history of a modern fakir.

Håvve Fjell is the core of Pain Solution, a Norwegian performance art group — although it has also been a solo project for much of its existence. He exemplifies the modern fakir, both in the sense of performance, fine art, spirituality, and social consciousness. This book, photographed by Håvve’s sister Helene, is an intimate, unflinching, and deeply personal and engaging documentation of his first ten years — as Helene puts it, “Håvve is honest and he has something to say.” The book is written almost entirely in the first person, and its open style makes you feel like you’re reading Håvve’s thoughts.

Just over two years ago Håvve was asked to speak about self-harm at a Psykopp-organized lecture for psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and doctors — they were so drawn into the dialog that they approached him about producing a book on the subject. He begins this book by describing his childhood,

Each time I would try to aim a bit higher; cut a bit deeper, burn a bit longer or push more needles into my legs. Of course, no one around me would understand why I did these things to myself, and I could not explain. This led me to do my business in private and try to hide the results from family and friends.

Sound familiar?

In 1991 Håvve traveled to Brazil to develop his skills. In Brazil he met other performers, and did his first fakir show — to an audience who was not expecting or desiring his style of show, and jeered him with taunts of “disgusting”, “sick pervert” and “ugly”.

The rest of the night, I hid. I was too ashamed to see the organizers or talk to anyone. However, two good things came out of that particular night. That night, my girlfriend, Monica, conceived our first son, Kai. In addition, I learned an important lesson about performing in public: it is not what you do, but how you present it that matters.

His confidence returned along with his return to Oslo, where he put on another show with friends (much more successfully) and started thinking about combining the fakir element with performance and stage art. Along with his friends Eirik and Roberto he decided that maybe they could even make a little money if they built a show around fire, juggling, fakirism, and music, and in 1993 PSI (Pain Solution Inc.) was founded.

The first show was a success, but they quickly lost their backing band. The group shuffled members for a while, and Håvve took courses in street theatre, mime, clowning, and acting, and became more and more serious about the professionalism of his show. He returned to Brazil for some time and then back to Norway where he slowly re-tooled his shows for a broader audience — Pain Solution was getting TV gigs, many shows, and media appearances — and also worked with puppet theatre and other art-forms.

We were mostly doing fire stunts and I had padlocks sewn to my torso, this was quite new to me at the time and I was dancing wildly. It came to the point where I felt I was loosing contact with the floor, as if I was dancing without touching the ground. What I felt was pure pleasure. I watched the crowd from above and was about to fly up, and out from the stage. I do not know what really happened, but it was suddenly very quiet. A technical problem with the sound system had put an end to my almost leaving my body experience.

For Y2K Pain Solution was contracted to perform at the largest millennium event in Norway, a huge fire show on New Year’s even in Oslo. After being the pinnacle act in front of 200,000 people Pain Solution started getting larger contracts for custom performances, and Håvve began building a network of actors, contortionists, jugglers, and other performers to work with as shows dictated. Shows got even larger, and in 2001 Pain Solution co-produced Ringen with the Haugesund Theatre, a modern circus group. Large projects always put a lot of stress on a group, and Håvve decided to revert Pain Solution back to being a solo production.

He was then invited to do a series of performances for the Industrial Art Museum in Oslo, and presented them with a plan to do a sculptural or “poetic” suspension. They turned him down, saying that he would scare off their “elderly guests”. Håvve was furious — he’d been promoting the event for three weeks, and his art was being muted.

I saw no reason in arguing, nor did I see any reason to accept being excluded from the programme. I decided to hold a demonstration against censorship, at the museum on that given Saturday. I wrote a new press release explaining the situation. When I sent it out, I made sure they got a copy at the museum.

On the day of the event, I appeared at the Museum with a plaster cast from head to toe, with only holes for my eyes and nose, in a sculpture called Sensurert (Censored). As my assistants carried me out of the van and up the stairs outside the Museum, we were met with hostility; they would not let us set foot on their stairs and stopped us with brute force. Therefore I stood outside on the pavement for nearly two hours, with a supporting crowd, until the cold had made my limbs so numb that I had to give up my demonstration.

The demonstration was a success and the publicity led the House of Artists to contract Håvve to perform Censored, as well as Floating, the project which had been censored. Since it was a six-week installation, Håvve expanded it to Kvintett, five performances of physical restrictions — full body casting, flesh sewing, buried in broken glass, a Chinese-water torture-type event, and a horizontal suspension. The book describes his experiences and encounters in all of these.

However, after this successful series of performances (with a great deal of media and critical attention), Håvve again found himself alone and in debt — for the first time in his life, he had to get a job. Of course, with no education or experience, the best he could do was two part-time jobs — and he feared that a full-time job could interfere with his ability to continue developing Pain Solution. Kvintett had given him a new area to explore as an artist and a fakir — his own personal approaches to pain. His performances became more esoteric, and Håvve became an explorer and researcher as much as an artist.

In the west, our culture brings us up to perceive pain exclusively as a negative experience. No matter how small the injury might be, the most important action taken is to comfort the child. I am not saying that is wrong, but in many cases parents end up teaching their children to fear pain. If a child is bleeding, the hysteria is even worse.

* * *

Sometimes the pain is too strong to ignore, it is just impossible not to pay attention to it. In these cases, I try to put all my focus on the pain itself. I search for the centre of the pain. I try to figure out how it spreads, where the borders of the sensation are, and how it feels right next to where it’s hurting. By going into the sensation and exploring it, I find the focus is in studying the pain, instead of suffering it.

…which brings the specific history of Pain Solution up to date.

Håvve also communicated with Allen Falkner of TSD in Texas, and after doing a number of suspensions in private and in public (as mentioned above), beginning in 2002 he began co-organizing the annual Wings of Desire – Oslo Body Suspension Festival, an event similar to the SusCons hosted by various suspension groups around the world. He also talks about how hard it’s been for him to achieve spiritual experiences, largely due to the attention he must also pay to the stage aspect.

Addressing something too many amateur performers overlook, Håvve warns about some of the accidents that have happened on stage, including one horrific experience where he breathed in a lungful of paraffin, leading him to ten days hospitalization after the performance. Other shows left him with serious burns, and another with cuts in his hand that resulted in permanent nerve damage. Like many of us, he’s had last minute supply and preparation problems, rigging failures, and other mishaps. “Shit happens and the show must go on!

The conclusion to the book contains commentary from many of the other members of Pain Solution mentioned in the book, both performers and technical staff. It also contains some interview excerpts and fine arts analysis of Håvve’s performances (“In search of a lost pain” by the Bureau of Contemporary Art Praxis, Rijeka, Croatia, and “Toward the aesthetics of pain” by Stahl Stenslie, Academy of Media Arts, Colgne Germany), commentary from Målfrid J. Frahm Jensen and Per Johan Isdahl (Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo) on the self-harm aspects, and from Siv Ellen Kraft (University of Tromsø, Norway) on the religious aspects. The book then finishes with a short FAQ.

This really is a remarkable book. My review does not do it the justice it deserves. I literally believe it is the only book that has been able to take such a snapshot. I do not believe that any body modification book collection can be called complete without this book, and I believe this is essential reading for anyone involved in performance or body art as well as those interested in art history and body-art/modification/play-history.

From a technical point of view the printing in this book is gorgeous. It’s large format (10”x10”) and full color with silver spot color throughout its 180 pages and almost every page has photos. The text is clear and easy to read and the photos are bright, crisp, and vibrant (all the pictures in this review are of course from the book). I have nothing bad to say about the book on a conceptual or artistic level, but I do have two complaints in the technical area:

  1. Binding. Ten Years of Pain is softbound (I made the same mistake with the ModCon book). As a result it damages easily; my copy got banged around a bit in the mail and the corners are dinged — this book is such an obvious collector and display piece that it should have been been printed as a hardcover in my opinion.
  2. Price. Printing a limited edition book is expensive — as a result, Håvve’s book sells in Norway for 400 Kroners (about $60 US), which, once you add distribution costs, gets up to the $70 US mark by the time it’s made it to North America. That’s a lot to pay for a softcover; if it was any other book I wouldn’t be recommending it so strongly.

I believe that this book will touch you. It might get banged up a little easier than it should, and maybe it costs a little more than is normal, but this book will touch you. For me, it’s worth every cent, and I believe that if you’re a regular BME reader and you appreciate what’s being done here in general, this book will reach you as well.

As far as I know BMEshop is the only place this book is available online. Because I believe in it so strongly I have given up all royalties and commission on its sale in order to ensure the best possible price for you. Please note that we only have a few in stock right now, so if you visit the page and it’s sold out, please be sure to add your name to the “tell me when it’s back” list.


Shannon Larratt
BME.COM

PS. Be sure to check out the Pain Solution website at www.painsolution.net!


This page and its contents are © 2004 Shannon Larratt – Reproduced under license by BMEzine.com LLC. All rights reserved. Requests to reprint must be confirmed in writing. For bibliographical purpose this review was published January 21st, 2004 in Toronto, Canada.