Lou travelled to Penang, Malaysia in 2007 and took these wonderful photos at a Thaipusam (more on ModBlog) festival..
Local boys taking part in the festival.
See more in “Cultural Rituals“ (Culture)
I went to great lengths to get this video from my computer to modblog. Hours of uploading from the wilderness of Germany. You’ve seen the photos, now enjoy the video!
Lassi and Jussi - BMXnet Conference 2008 - Vluyn, Germany - www.mundusabsurdus.com - www.paradise.fi
I’m not sure how many of you have picked up INKED magazine but it’s a newer Tattoo Magazine that is trying to step up the quality of print tattoo publications. I recently did a photo shoot with Ellen Stagg to go along with an article by Marisa from Needled. I just got an email asking me to let all of you know that they’re hosting an open casting call for an upcoming issue in NYC.
If you’re interested in getting into INKED, this is your chance! They’re going to pick several women for an upcoming issue which will include a photo shoot with hair, make up and the works!
This video was shot by my friend Bastian (on a cheap $99 camera) during the Oslo Suscon and and I hope it gives you an idea of how beautiful the atmosphere is during a suspension. Bastian also sent me the following to go with the footage..
“The chap suspending is Morten, he’s Norwegian and was part of the crew at the Oslo event. He’s been featured on ModBlog before although he wasn’t named (he’s the guy on the right), anyway he was contemplating a two point chest suspension but changed his mind at the last moment and decided he’d like to do a two point resurrection instead! He went up on Håvve’s back (unfortunately I didn’t capture that on video - it was amazing, as if it were nothing. He just leaned on Håvve’s back and was lifted from there in no time at all!“
“This was so incredible to watch that I thought “Hey, let’s try this too” and decided to cut down to two hooks at the end of my own suspension. Alas, I didn’t manage to let go of the rope because it was just too intense and painful for me.“
You can read more about the 2008 Oslo Suscon here - Day One | Day Two | Day Three.
Day three is halfway through, and it’s been another exciting one for sure!
A solid 21 suspensions have taken place today, including a six-point angel suspension by Paul King of the APP, who incidentally did a very interesting lecture today (and yesterday, which I forgot to mention) on Festival Practices of Sri Lanka.
At this very moment, Havard is doing an amazingly beautiful “installation” suspension, which looks incredible in a complex and curious sort of way. As his “piece” is coming to an end, we have what I believe to be the third spinning beam couple up and bouncing, with Kjetil on saxophone in midair, and Michele still in his aftercare outfit! You’ll be here next year, right?
Hungry for more entertainment, Håvve has asked some of the participants to throw something else our way, so this evening will see a collaborative show by Cookie (US), Lucky (Australia), Alice and Benoit (UK), Steve Joyner (US) and Bena (Sweden). International improvisation ahoy, I am way excited!
Ah! I just got word of Håvve’s calf suspension which I missed due to seeing Paul’s lecture. He must have been less than static whilst hanging, as his skin ripped to the point where Christiane could jam a finger not only into one of his hook holes, but right through his calf! I sure hope we can get a picture of that up here. In fact, I’m going to go and rob photos off of people right after this!
The convention is slowly coming to an end, and it’s definitely on my to-do list to return next year. Of course, it won’t be over till the after-party is dealt with tomorrow night, another tradition which tends to kick the ass; nothing to end a perfect weekend like a bout of drunken silliness with heavily modified crazies. Well, it’s eating time once again, and you know what that means…
Peace out y’all!
- Alex
Alexander Trowell is a body piercer and student nurse from Southport, U.K. He’ll be filing reports all weekend from the Oslo SusCon — keep checking this spot for updates.
So it’s all coming together nicely.
Friday saw a total of six suspensions go down (or up if you wanna be smart about it), and so far today another twenty-five people have hung. We’ve seen resurrections, chests, suicides, supermen, comas, some custom combination-suspensions (such as a suicide/chest combo), and amazingly two single hook chest suspensions! The first brave young soldier to attempt one of these bad boys was Bena, who commented on ’seeing the light’ and ‘whiting out completely’ for the first time.
On stage about an hour ago we got to see a somewhat improvised show! Lucky, who’s also known as Ruby Rum (and for the evening Dorabella Awful) told me she had to step in at the last minute due to some mix-up meaning Lassi (of The Saviours and CMA) was unable to attend, and the show culminated in Jussi (also of CMA and The Saviours) doing the second single hook chest suspension of the day. (Guess it was Lucky that was the real Saviour today huh guys) - I have total awe for you both Bena and Jussi. Particularly today, after trying another 2 point chest myself.
Interviewing people has never been my forte, but I managed to get a couple more comments from participants, including Adina who excitedly said, and I quote, ‘I came here to get my head screwed up, and it worked!’ She did her second resurrection today and enjoyed it lots. She also managed to comment on my choice of pink rope and rig - a choice I stand by proudly!
Oddbjorn did a suicide from a spinning beam with Stine, and told me he really enjoyed the intensity and rapid speeds the beam added to the experience.
Talking some more to Cookie Haworth, she emphasized something she mentioned in her and Steve’s lecture yesterday. I completely agree although I wasn’t there back in the day, that it’s fantastic how modern suspensions have moved from the backyards, forests, and other generally hard to reach spots of the world, and evolved into events like this which truly make it an attainable thing to achieve for anyone who wants to try it.
Anyways, it’s eating time before I post this, so I better go get my calories on..
Good night from Oslo!
- Alex
Congratulations to Annie and Jon who are recently engaged. Check out Annie’s page for more great photos!
Photos by Erin Kerr. ^
Where in the world is BME?
BMXnet is hosting it’s second annual conference to bring together artists from the body modification community from around the world. Registration closed last week but there are a few seats still available for last minute pre-registration. You can pay upon arrival. For more information, check out the article from the 2007 convention.
.. Six hundred pixels wide!
I’m sure you’ll all join me in congratulating Anna and Lucas who tied the knot at a “Pirate Wedding” on the 20th of June, in Turnhout, Belgium..
Read on for some other romantical shots (photos by Thierry Van Dort) and more..
