Our bodies and minds are the only true things we will ever own, and therefor, we are the masters of our own domains, the masters of our triumphs, the masters of our downfall, the masters of our lives, the masters of our demise.
At A Glance Author Liron Contact [email protected] IAM ladyorion When Two years ago Location Israel
My name is Liron, and I am modified, in more ways then one.
It is not just my body, it is also my mind which is as changed forever. I'd like to share a personal experience, about which paths in my life have brought me to embrace my individuality, my rites of passage, a journey of one.
I was born in the Jewish state of Israel, on the 9th of May, 1982.
After growing up in St. Paul Minnesota between the years of 1984 to 1990, my parents, my 5 year old brother, my newborn brother and I returned to Israel and continued our lives where we left off, as three returning Israeli citizens, and two new ones. From an elementary schoolgirl, to Jr. High and a highschool student, seeds of individuality, which had taken root years before, had started to blossom in more ways than one. I found refuge from the outside world, parts of it I deemed "oppressive", in books and television (writings by Anton LaVey and "anything involving witchcraft I could lay my hands on") and when I grew tired of written morals and televised feeds, I used markers, pens, pencils and crayons to create worlds of my own.
Until the Autumn of the year 2000, in which the rules and regulations of the State of Israel required I, at the age of 18, was to be drafted to the Military.
Years of schoolteachers, guidance counselors, and bosses were taken place by commanding officers and Military Policemen. I was, and was going to be, property of the state for the following year and nine months. There was no room for creativity - there was no room for innovation. My uniform wear was to be pressed a certain way, my nametag was to be worn in a certain angle, my ranks had to be sewn on in a specific direction. I was to speak when allowed and be silent when instructed. Those worlds I had created for myself were faded, crumpled, and torn. Every free moment and every opportunity I found were devoted to creation - drawing, writing, and at night, when I was in the office and no commanders were around, I would remove my uniform and wear my best civilian clothing, if only for a few hours. We would gather together, those of us who had night shifts, and we would tell each other stories and jokes. And sometimes we would find a boombox and dance. For no reason, specificall y, we'd dance when no one was watching.
One day I was collecting my drawings in my office drawer, and found pictures I'd drawn of people who strong, willful, courageous. And I realized, that the canvas that holds tight the world I had built inside me, was the one I had not explored until then. This marks the beginning of my growing interest in Body Modification, and nothing has been the same since.
I became very interested in Tattoo Art. A British/Israeli friend of mine who served in the same unit as I (who has now moved to the united states to fulfill her dream of cinematography), was very heavily tattooed with various socialist iconography. Although I didn't share her political views, I was intrigued by the fact that she felt so strongly about what she believed in, as much as to have it embedded into her skin permanently. I knew I was going to eventually get tattooed, and I was very non-agreeable with "flash-art" displayed in tattoo studios. And I continued trying to find myself in my drawings, Unfortunately my creative urge was oppressed non-voluntarily soon after - the 2nd "Intifada" was at it's peak, my time in the military became very hectic, and very, very hard. Being a now "semi-veteran" soldier (sargeant, at the time), I was looked upon differently as my days as a private. I used my new ranking to speak out in those harsh times, and encourage those ranked belo w me to do the same. Although less for my unit and more for myself, I created and innovated, brought up ideas, and made a difference. As small as it was, I made a difference. And it made me feel good.
On the day of my discharge of mandatory military service, August 12th, 2002, I dropped off my uniform and military identification papers at the base, and got pierced. It had not been the first time - I had my eyebrow pierced (although, I admit, it was painful experience, in more ways than one) years before, but this new piercing, my labret, I knew, was not going to be my last. My labret symbolized the triumph of my individuality that was slowly building itself back up from the ashes. And in September of that Year, I was tattooed for the first time - my atom particle; which was, for me, and was going to be, a permanent and constant reminder that even the smallest, most seemingly sub-significant individual, could create an impact to shake the world.
Further modifications soon followed, as my life continued to progress and I learned more about myself and my self-chosen "path less followed". And I wear them with pride, not as apparel, but as my rites of passage through my journey in life.
And as I progress into my 21st year, I look back in order to take every experience, including my military service, as a positive learning experience, and I look to the future with optimism. I will continue to paint on my eternal canvas, as a personal manifestation of who I am, where I've been, and where I'm going.