Zombies are certainly having their moment in the sun. Vampires, of course, can’t stand up to the harsh light of day and quickly wilt, while zombification renders one immune to heliophobia or, indeed, fear of any kind whatsoever.
We’re not sure what French Canadian model, circus performer, and found art object Rick Genest is afraid of, but we’re pretty certain the list does not include needles.
His anatomical tattoos paint 80% of his body, including his entire torso, neck, and head, in a fascinating portrait of the components of human life—the kind we can generally only see after the subject is dead. Thus, his whole body is transformed into a work of morbid yet humanitarian art.
Thanks to his discovery last year by Nicola Formichetti of French fashion house Thierry Mugler, Genest has become a high-fashion totem, and he appeared in a Lady Gaga video which backdropped the winter Mugler fashion show. He has toured the world with Lady Gaga and modeled in Paris for Mugler, which was actually the first time he’d ever left Canada.
Genest is also something of a social media phenomenon, with 13,330 likes on Facebook and 66,478 followers on Twitter. His tattoo project, which is ongoing, has reportedly cost Genest $17,000 so far, which is probably still less than Kim Kardashian spends on waxing in a year.
For all these reasons, plus the fact he is simply physically breathtaking to look at, we are featuring Genest as today’s Morning GIF. This image was posted to the Lady Boner Tumblr and has 126 notes; there are other shots of Genest on that blog with more, but this one is our favorite for its eloquent and poignant simplicity.
Source: http://www.dailydot.com/entertainment/morning-gif-zombie-boy-tattoos/
Last week my manager Colin and I hung out at the Cannes Film Festival for a couple of award ceremonies. By night we checked out some rad parties! While we were out there, I was featured in a documentary film for the French channel Arte called Super Heros. We even managed to fit in a studio shoot with the amazingly talented Patrizio Di Renzo.
Then, the week before that, I was in Moscow, guest-appearing at the Soho Lounge, and after that, the Moscow International Tattoo Convention, promoted by Club Arena. The coolest part of my Moscow trip has got to be hands-down the after-party at Rolling Stone Bar. There I DJ’d with my new bros VJ Chuck of MTV Russia and Artem Gnus of Billboard Russia. These guys are stone-cold cool! Spinning wickedly eclectic tracks! …but yeah, they loved my set of stuff, featuring Keny Arkana and others… This is my love; sharing art internationally, and that’s exactly where I wanna be.
Now that I’m back in Montreal, I wanna share a band with you guys; The Unsettlers, an incredible eleven-piece based out in Montreal (think Tom Waits meets The Pogues). They’re quite a contrast to my previous recommendation, Keny Arkana, but they really know how to entertain the crowd with their insanely original material. Be sure to check these guys out! They deserve the attention.
Just so you know, I’m looking through and listening to all the music you’ve been sending in. Thanks for all your recommendations – I’ve had emails from people in Pittsburgh, Chicago, even Germany and the UK! I’m still accepting submissions (email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) and I’ll feature my personal favorites here and on my own website by end of summer.
