Hey bodymod.org members, sorry about this long post...

My name is Nico van Niekerk, a student artist from Canada. Apart from skateboarding and making artwork(www.nicovn.com) I'm enthusiastic about body modification. I have stretched earlobes (at 9/16"), surface anchor piercing on my right cheek bone, two piercings on my "forward" helix, retired lower lip labret piercings, and two tattoos.

I'm writing a paper to get my BfA in Fine Arts(Drawing and Painting major) at the Ontario College of Art and Design (www.ocadu.ca).
I have chosen to discuss the art of body modification as my thesis, and I was hoping that you would be able to help me to collect some data for my research.

Please write as honestly as possible, if you would like further privacy, feel free to email me at nico.vn.art@gmail.com.

What I would like to know is:
1)What was your original motivation for modifying your body (why did you get that first piercing, tattoo etc)?
2)What is it that motivates you to continue to acquire body modifications?
3)What margins do you draw for yourself and others, in other words what you would never do, or want to see others do, and why?
4)What is your position on the involvement of pain with this activity?
5)How has modifying your body changed your perception on yourself and others, or changed the ways that others perceive you?

To conclude my first post here I would like to add a disclaimer in that I will not be revealing any personal information (your real name etc) that you give to me, but will rather be noting the patterns see in your experiences.

Thanks!