Comments on: Scarification as Body Art

By: The Curious Art of Caleb Larsen | Memeingful

The Curious Art of Caleb Larsen | Memeingful — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:45:58 +0000

[...] cannot figure out what to do with the artwork of Caleb Larsen. We have seen the mutilating world of scarification. We have swallowed hard the brutal images brought to us through the Event Horizon art display. But [...]

By: David W. Boles

David W. Boles — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:57:45 +0000

That is sort of my take on it, too, Selina.

By: Selina Gasolina

Selina Gasolina — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:43:13 +0000

Yikes. Not art. Not orniment. Just intentional mutilation. A cry for help.

By: David W. Boles

David W. Boles — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:36:26 +0000

Yeah, me too, Katha. It’s still a fascinating cultural meme that is picking up steam, though.

By: Kathakali Chatterjee

Kathakali Chatterjee — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:04:25 +0000

I feel nauseous, really. I can feel the knife cutting me through…not fun.

By: David W. Boles

David W. Boles — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 22:14:50 +0000

The first image looks like branding, as does the palm print. The third image is definitely cutting.
Why do you think the hand is gorgeous, Lilly?
It’s funny that is sort of severe scarring is generally an indicator of bad skin that doesn’t correctly heal — keloids like that are an immediate dismissal from any sort of corrective laser eye surgery because reputable eye doctors always begin their comprehensive pre-screening exam by asking to see your body scars. If you have keloid scarring, they won’t do the elective surgery because they fear your eyes will “heal” from the cutting in the same way and that will mess up your vision.
Perhaps this keloid body art is freeing from the stigma of skin that doesn’t smoothly heal? Celebrate your limitations instead of being condemned by them?

By: liminal_life

liminal_life — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 21:18:34 +0000

I find the first image extreme, though that’s largely the design/placement. I think the hand-print is absolutely gorgeous. For a few years I had an entirely coincidental pair of scars that resembled a musical note, and I loved it. I was very sorry when one of the scars faded. My only concern with ornamental scars is that they are probably more permanent than tattoos, and carry a risk of infection. I hope that whoever is doing the cutting in that third pic has some medical training.
-Lilly

By: David W. Boles

David W. Boles — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:17:40 +0000

It is sort of wild, Gordon, how body modification begins with ear piercing, then, perhaps the nose and mouth and then tattoos and then, sometimes, into this more serious transformation of the skin. Scarification is ancient in other world cultures, but the fact that it is “catching on” in mainstream American college life — but without the rich, historic, cultural memes in antiquity to give it depth and meaning — makes it more of an amusement and a bland statement than a binding of values to morality.

By: Gordon Davidescu

Gordon Davidescu — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:59:37 +0000

It also befuddles me, like horn acquisition and tongue splitting. On the other hand, if that is what it takes to make them happy… well, perhaps some couch time would be helpful!

By: David W. Boles

David W. Boles — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:02:38 +0000

I know I know I know Anne! Sorry! I warned you. It looks like it hurts more than it beautifies. Is beauty in the eye of the beholder or in the eye of the beheld?