The myths of modern primitivism

Abstract

RE/Search Publications’ Modern Primitives (Vale and Juno 1989) changed countless lives, bringing what had been a localized and niche set of body modification practices, aesthetics and philosophies out of San Francisco to a global audience, dominating scholarly and popular discourse around body modification subculture for more than a decade afterwards. The voice of Fakir Musafar dominates the book. This article argues that modern primitives as Musafar defines them never really existed (and never could have existed) in the terms he suggests, and goes on to address an important sub-strand within Modern Primitives almost entirely ignored by critics and commentators, who have read the book as generally representative of the body modification culture as a whole. With specific reference to contributors such as infamous tattoo artist Don Ed Hardy who do not frame their practice in ‘primitive’ terms, the article concludes with a study of an alternative account presented by Vale and Juno’s book: body modification as artistic practice.

Understanding Tattoos from the Indonesian Underground Music Scene of the Surabaya Region

“…The adoption of the tattooing practices shows the heterogeneous nature of the cross-cultural exchanges that were taking place. This practice can be found further in Gilbert (2000) and Lodder (2013) who explained that in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the religious pilgrimage to the Holy Lands was also marked by the adoption of the Holy Land's religious symbols on the bodies of the European pilgrims.…”

“…How the trades and global networks formed some centuries ago through the maritime culture had an impact on the development of tattooing practice can be seen from what Lodder (2013) described as the "heyday of professional tattooing in Britain" in which tattoo studios in London, around the 1880s and 1890s also provided Japanese iconic symbols such as dragons, snakes, and orientalist demons. Lodder (2013) observes that wealthy people also became interested in this permanent marking practice. To show their status, they invited the original tattoo master from Japan to travel back to Britain or America to have 'authentic tattoos'.…”

“…The expedition of Burchett to several countries made him able to adapt both local tattoo motifs and thematic tattoos as desired by his clients. According to Lodder (2013), in the nineteenth century and later, the signification of tattoos was developed into the practice of putting personal references and professions on tattoos. Permanent markings such as the sun soon became popular among the seafarers.…”