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I was recently asked about all the different Gilson hook designs.  So I figured it would be a good idea to just write up a blog about it.  Here is a basic list and timeline.  Of course I am sure I am missing some.  If you know of any others please let me know and I will update this entry.

The first ones were made by Oliver Gilson.  He made different sizes, but they were all very similar in design.

I think Steve Haworth from Life Suspended made the next ones.  His are a modified design of Oliver’s.  The frames are thicker so that the pins are slightly counter sunk in them.  The photo below is actually a later generation.  Like Oliver’s initial design the first hooks used a standard bolt.  However, Steve was the first to switch to a square hole and start using a carriage bolt and a wing nut.  This design has become fairly standard now.

Leo Murphy from ROP made some for a while.  His were different because one side of the frame was threaded.  So the bolt screwed into the frame and the nut was almost like a backup.  Leo’s might have been the first after Oliver started making them, I’m not 100% sure.  The only reason I think that Haworth made the first hooks is that he was the first to receive one of Oliver’s original aluminum protoypes.  This is also why Steve’s hooks aren’t as wide.  They were modeled after Oliver’s very initial design.

Joe Amato of SMS also makes them as well.  He started with the design below, but soon changed to the square hole/carriage bolt design.  His hooks do not come with a wing nut.  Instead he opts for a standard nut and a tool.

Lukas Larson of Dissected Art sells another design which is similar, the biggest difference is that the hole for the nut and the hole for the shackle are close to that when the shackle is in place, the wing nut cannot come loose.  Although Joe’s design comes with a nut, I believe the shackle and bolt holes are close enough to prevent unscrewing of a wing nut as well when it is added.

Tom Moore of Steel Fetish makes the newest design.  Rather than a bolt it uses a collar to hold the plates in place.  It uses a some slight compression to stay in position, and once the shackle in on, it can’t come undone.  Tom’s pieces are also all numbered to it’s easy to keep pieces together.

In Russia the Sinner Team has come up with a few different designs.  The first ones were HUGE and as you can see below they required 2 bolts to hold them in place.  Also unlike US hooks they are made of aircraft grade titanium.

Since the initial hooks came out they have updated their design by making the hooks significantly smaller and higher polish, while still keeping the 2 bolts.

I think the newest design I have seen are made by member of Ascension, Steve Truitt‘s crew.  The frame are threaded in spots so that spikes or gems can be screwed into place.

There are new designs on the horizon, but as far as I know they haven’t been made yet.  Here are a couple of examples:

Proposed Design by Joe of SMS – http://www.skinmechanicsteelworks.com/upcoming

And another design proposed by me.

There are also several drawings and prototypes that were created along the way.  I would include them in this blog, but I think I will leave a little mystery and give people a reason to come see my hook lecture at the Oslo Symposium.

For many of the photographers that we have featured on Hook Life, our craft is on the extreme side of what they typically work with; in this case, however, I think it’s safe to say we are on the lighter end of the spectrum in Mister Hawks‘ impressive portfolio. Browsing through the photography of Aaron Hawks, there is an array of carefully crafted pieces of work; stunning and vividly gritty scenes, intense colors, and content that certainly isn’t for the meek. His portfolio also happens to include several faces familiar to the suspension community, including Lucky Hell, Miss Crash, Christopher Glunt, and Ron Garza. His long time work in the alternative scene naturally crossed paths with the world of body modification, and as our community has grown it has allowed more opportunities for Aaron to work the talented individuals within it. One of those recent opportunities can be seen in this photo, titled ‘Suspended Object’, in which he collaborated with both Chris and Ron for this display at his latest art show. There is also an accompanying video of the show that can be found through his website under his new works.

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Anyone who has said there are no original ideas left clearly hasn’t taken a look at the incredible artwork by Ryan Holandes. I don’t know really what to label these concepts he has brought to life; they fall somewhere in a wonderful combination of performance art, flesh pulls, piercing, and metal work that is perceived through sensation and experience as much as visual interpretation. As they have come to life, we were given teasing glimpses of the process and the pieces in short video clips he has released. The full videos for this project are finally complete, and were presented Friday night in Savannah, GA at his physical exhibition at the Hall Street Gallery. For those of us not fortunate enough to be there in person, a digital gallery has been created on his website, Meriken Metals, to allow us to see the pieces of art in action.

Dominion from Ryan Holandes on Vimeo.

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Although play piercing is nothing new in our community, it is something that I have only recently seen being used by artists to create a blending between body piercing and flesh pulls. We first featured it here in the stunning piece created by Solvere7, and now we have these beautiful wings to enjoy, created by Jesse Rumsey using a somewhat different approach to the concept. Rather than running lines from the needles to a rigging plate or bar to create tension, he used the metal framework shaping these wings to lace the entire design, and then gently lifted the piece, pulling the skin into place along with it. The result is lovely, and lucky for us, it’s only the beginning in a series of projects that Jesse hopes to complete with this style of piercing pull.

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Writing for this website, I get the pleasure of seeing so many beautiful images and videos that capture little glimpses of what is it we do. There are so many of these that really amaze me every time I look at them; the talent and creativity in this community is incredible. Occasionally, something will come along on here that not only turns my head, but takes my breath away. The most recent is a series of projects being created by Ryan Holandes, owner of Merikan Metals. The videos of his creations, which use flesh hooks and piercings to turn art into something that can actually be experienced, have had the suspension community buzzing since they first surfaced. Although we see amazing things done in the suspension community every day, it’s far more rare when we see someone take our craft and use it in a whole new way. Ryan was nice enough to take the time to tell me a little about himself and his incredible work.

Ritual Craft from Cory Carpenter on Vimeo.

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After looking at suspension photos for hours a day, it’s easy to feel as if there is nothing new to see. It seems like the moment that crosses my mind, something stunning like this comes along and reminds me how incredibly beautiful and ever changing our art form can be. Although these photos do not involve a traditional hook pull, I feel that they are a wonderful example of how diverse and creative the act of a flesh pull can be. This is the first time I have seen a needle pull being done in this way. In this project titled “Lifted”, 30 needles are laced together and pulled taunt to create this stunning visual.

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Body suspension, like any art form, has the ability to evoke a range of emotions from different people. For many, it is an extremely powerful experience, and even just watching can bring out an array of feelings; everything from happiness or excitement to fear and disgust. Those strong emotions can translate over into other arts as well, such as in these fantastic paintings by Brian M. Viveros. Since stumbling across this first painting online, I have found myself looking at it repeatedly. There is just something about her that is captivating; the combination of her facial expression, partially hidden by the mask, along with the curve of her body and the pull of the hooks is wonderful.

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Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to travel the world and participate in many different suspension conventions.  As you might imagine, each suscon is somewhat similar.  However, what people may not realize is that there are also many differences in the vibe and overall experience of attending.  Of course the event organization plays a key role in determining how things flow, but it’s the people and location that really makes each event unique.

So what makes the Italian Suscon so different?  After the break there’s a short description and a video from the 2010 event.

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Here at Hook Life we receive photo and video submissions every day.  Usually our job is to decide which are the best, but occasionally we are faced with another task.  There are times that we have to determine if the suspensions are safe or not.  This next video from the crew of Sinner Team is prime example of our concerns.  Now don’t get us wrong.  We’ve been known to do some things that I would never recommend trying.  So, at times it’s hard to act as the voice of reason.  However, what you are about to see comes with a huge warning.  Please do not attempt a death swing from hooks unless you are prepared, experienced, and willing to accept the risks.

Warning – Free falling onto hooks is extremely dangerous. If the stopping distance is too short the impact force will exceed the breaking strength of skin, hooks, safety equipment or possibly your bones/internal organs.

Suspension has often been seen accompanied by other forms of art such as music or stage performance. It’s no surprise then to see it used in other creative forms of expression, like these paintings which were done during a flesh pull by Bete Noire and Dorian White. This live performance was part of an event put on by The Fall Studios titled Reflections: A Night of Art and Fashion.

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