The Human Canvas

I think I found this lecture the most interesting, so far. I've always been interested in Body Modification, so learning about traditions and backgrounds was very enlightening for me.

But what is body modification? Tattoo's and piercings is the first thing that pops into most people's heads, but if we take the idea that when we are born we are a 'blank canvas' things such as the clothing or hairstyle we choose would be classed as a modification.

This being the case I think body modification includes:

• Tattoo's and piercings
• Hair styles and change of hair colour
• Make-up, henna and jewellery
• The clothes we choose
• Plastic surgery - cosmetic or medical
• Glasses and contact lenses

As for why people choose to have body modifications include:

• Religious reasons
• Cultural reasons
• to be part of a sub-culture
• for artistic reasons

Corsetry

Henna

Pericings/Tattoo's

In terms of whether body modification is 'bad' in some cases, yes it is. For example the Giraffe Necked women of Kayan and foot binding in China. These are bad because they are not voluntary modifications. They are also bad because they are for the control and repression of women.

Other than that I don't see how other body modification is 'bad'. Some have even become so common that people do not even consider them a modification (e.g. hair styles). Body modification is a way of expressing who you are and there is nothing wrong with that.

Links

Ted Polhemus - an article about body modification and how it makes us human

The 'Giraffe Woman' who cast of her brass coils - an article that outline the repression and control experiencd by the 'giraffe women'

BMEzine - a body modification network