ORIGINS & INSPIRATIONS
My fascination with adornment, and body jewelry specifically, began over 25 years ago with an introduction to Blake Perlingieri the founder and operator of Nomad Body Piercing in Bend, Oregon.
Blake opened the original Nomad studio in San Francisco's Haight District in 1993 and has since been recognized as one of the longest standing piercing studio owners and piercers in the United States. He is widely known as an authoritative figure in this contemporary industry known as ‘body piercing’ but even more important is his understanding and lifelong passion illuminating the origins of this ancient art form along with the jewelry that accompanies the tradition.
Blake had recently moved to Bend where I was living and still do today. He was unlike any person I had met in this part of Oregon. Pierced and tattooed from head to toe with stretched earlobes that hung loosely towards his shoulders. He was visually captivating and the jewelry he wore was equally so. Each piece in his studio had a rich origin story and included such items as hand carved tunnels made from animal antlers , brass weights from Borneo and even diamond studded Tragus studs manufactured by Tiffany’s.
Blake had many riveting stories about his journeys around the globe learning about the ancient art of piercing and conveying his love for piercing, adornment and the people who began this ancient practice. I was immediately hooked, was pierced by Blake and my passion that started those many years ago is still alive today.
To learn more about this subject from his viewpoint you can visit his website www.nomadbodypiercing.com and explore his book, A Brief History of the Evolution of Body Adornment in Western Culture: Ancient Origins and Today by Blake Perlingieri
ADORNMENT. What is it?
A dictionary definition of adornment as “an accessory or ornament worn to enhance the beauty or status of the wearer. They are often worn to embellish, enhance, or distinguish the wearer, and to define cultural, social, or religious status within a specific community.” …seems only to tell a partial story. The real story of how adornment is intrinsically woven into the fabric of many cultures throughout time is certainly more thought provoking.
Just as many traditions involving food, religion and spirituality are passed down from one generation to the next, adornment can also fall into this category. A custom that remains intact from a mother and father to a daughter or son, from grandparents to grandchildren, from mentor to student. Piercings can be used to enhance beauty, signify maturation in adulthood, a way for a physical heirloom to be displayed for various purposes including status, tradition or spiritual protection. There are many interpretations of the significance and the reasons all people of the world have been carrying this tradition on for thousands of years.
The next time you notice a piercing and you are intrigued, maybe ask the wearer their reasons behind it…you might be surprised.
