Development of art forms

Although I was sick on Wednesday, this week I want to focus on piercing as art. As someone who is not artistic what-so-ever, I hold the opinion that the ability to learn and be proficient in a skill is a form of art. I’m not saying that the 20 year old at the mall piercing ears is a professional artist, but every motion learned or developed in life, to me, is beautiful.  For example, the typical steps to learning how to hold and release objects (as an infant) from the mouthing and grasping reflex at 1 month all the way to the roll-over reflex at 4-7 months is just incredible. Similarly, learning to write or to play  an instrument holds the same significance. This TED (up to 3.40) talk is the perfect explanation: http://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_zander_on_music_and_passion?language=en#t-2836.

            With all this development in mind, I think piercing has a similar form of progression. If we look at some of the larger figures we’ve spoken about in class, they all began at the bottoms of their respective fields. Steve Haworth didn't even begin his work working with body modification per-se. Any simple beginning is the means to developing an art form. Working for a surgical supply company has borne one of the most talented body modification artisits in the world. Ed Hardy, a man who began as a tattoo artist is now a fashion icon. Who’s to say that the 20-something year old girl at clairs can’t be the next body modification artist?

            While piercing itself may not be the most delicate art form, ultimately, it can be the stepping stones to something amaizing.