© Fakir Musafar

In the BME Cultural Corner, Blake Perlingieri and guest authors investigate and explore the rich history of body modification — a history that may well predate all other recorded forms of human communication! The grandson of dental surgeon, noted socialite, and traveller Dr. Naomi Coval, Blake Andrew Perlingieri was inspired by his grandmother's travels to remote tribal areas in the early to middle parts of the 20th century.

Professionally, Blake began his carreer in 1990 at San Francisco's premier piercing studio, Body Manipulations. At this time the only other studio was Gauntlet, L.A.. In 1993, Blake and his former partner, Kristian White, opened Nomad, the first tribal studio in the industry. Blake and Nomad have been featured numerous times in Fakir's Body Play and all of the early publications and TV media of the day. In 1995, Nomad opened Australia's first piercing studio in Melbourne. From 1996 to 1998 Blake brought his tribal gospel to the east coast and operated Venus with Maria.

In 1998, Blake returned west to open as sole proprietor Nomad Precision Body Adornment and Tribal Art Museum. Combining his famous jewelry collection with his recently inherited grandmother's tribal art, Blake seeks to educate the children of the future, raise awareness about endangered tribes, and provide a cultural and educational context to body adornment for modern people.

Latest column: March 26, 2007
Semi-Precious Teeth
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue: Mayan dentistry meets modern dentistry.

Full Column Archive:

2004/02/09:	Teeth Rule
2003/12/17:	Amputee Art