Media Release: Prodigal Son of Singapore Marc Pinto Returns to Brand at the Singapore Tattoo Show 2010

Professional Custom Cauterie Branding Services Arrives in Singapore Courtesy of Marc Pinto’s Primitive Tattoo at the Singapore Tattoo Show (Singapore Expo Hall 6B Booth C07).

Singapore: January 7 2010, Marc Pinto of Marc Pinto’s Primitive Tattoo announced today that as part of their Primitive Tattoo Studio’s participation at the 2nd Singapore Tattoo Show Marc Pinto will be performing Professional Custom Cauterie Branding Services to visitors to his booth at the show.

In early 2009, Marc Pinto launched his first Singapore Tattoo & Body Piercing Studio at Far East Plaza and in December 2009 he opened his second studio also at Far East Plaza bringing his total studio count to 3 which includes his long time established studio in Perth. Australia.

“I am excited to be part of the Singapore Tattoo scene once again and to be able to bring my branding services to the Singapore Tattoo Show for the first time. Branding is for people who seek a permanent MARK which is highly individual and in most cases more discreet than a tattoo as no ink is used.” commented Marc Pinto, founder of Marc Pinto Primitive Tattoo Studios.

Marc Pinto and his team of tattoo artists and body piercers will be attending the Singapore Tattoo Show 2010, Jan 8 to 10 Singapore Expo Hall 6B. Please visit their booth C07 to meet the team, get a tattoo, piercing or the ultimate branding MARK from the man himself, Marc Pinto.

About Marc Pinto’s Primitive Tattoo

Established in Perth, WA since 1997 as the first full service Body Modification and Fine Branding studio and the only studio catering to Traditional Hand Tattooing in Australia. NOW OPEN IN 2 LOCATIONS IN SINGAPORE, the outlets are the 1st outside of Perth and are full service Body Modification studios featuring Traditional Hand Tattooing, Professional Body Piercing, Fine Branding, and Bead Implants. For more information please visit: www.marcpinto.com


History of Branding

The word “branding” carries many connotations be it cars, shoes, clothing – but the last one that comes to mind in the 21st century we live in, is what the word originally meant. To brand, is literally to burn. To permanently place a burn mark onto an object.

The act of branding livestock to denote ownership dates back to the ancient Egyptians. The technique would be passed down through the ages where it would most famously be applied by cowboys of the Americas where a red-hot iron brand would be pressed into the skin of the animal, normally a cow or a horse, allowing animals from different owners to graze on an open range avoiding confusion. It is from the long tradition that branding came to denote ownership of an animal, and with the progression of time, ownership of people too.

The application of brands to humans probably started with the Greeks and Romans where slaves were branded on their legs to denote servitude and prevent escape. Through the process of branding, a slave wound hence be bound to the master until he or she was sold to another master in which a new brand would be applied again. In this era, branding a person could thus be seen as an extremely dehumanizing action, reducing the slave to no more than a biological entity akin to a cow.

This dehumanizing aspect would later be used as punishment binding criminals to their crimes for life. In France, criminals were branded with the initials “TFP” to signify hard labour for life and adulterers in puritan settlements in America were branded with an “A” usually on the chest for men and bosom for women. Often, the location depended on the severity of the crime, with serious offences getting more visible locations like arms or even forehead to increase the humiliation.

The brand is also to some people a re-affirmation of their beliefs much like tattoos are due to the irreversibility of the process. Hence the process of pain to achieve the ultimate result may often be perceived as a deeply spiritual one. Branding as part and parcel of spirituality has been longest documented amongst Hindu devotees of the Vaishnava Sect. The branding of Vishnu devotees was known as taapa and is the first in a fivefold process of initiation. The V-shaped strike brand is first heated in a sacrificial fire till it is red-hot before being applied to the devotee’s shoulder. The process represented a purification of the mind, body and sou

Branding in a modern context

Branding has continually evolved throughout history and its increasing popularity today represents an abolishment of old taboos and an increasing openness in the modern world.

The infamous history of branding has not deterred people of the 21st century adorning themselves with various designs using this technique. While the traditional form of branding, known as “strike-branding” by the body modification industry is still practiced, branding techniques have also evolved so as to allow more complex designs.

Electro-cautery branding is more commonly practiced these days and it involves the use of a device akin to an arc welder. The hand-held device creates a spark of electricity which burns the skin. With its ability to control the depth of damage and accuracy of the cut, this method allows for more intricate designs.

Yet despite its dark history, people wishing to set themselves apart from the rest of the crowd often seek out branding as a means of adorning their bodies as tattoos gain greater popularity. Apart from being head turners, brands often provide their wearers with an exciting tale to tell about the pain endured to receive the selected design.

Today, branding designs are unique and varied, with people opting for one-off designs that compliment their own style and physique. From traditional tribal to modern contemporary designs, branding offers a different medium in which to adorn one’s body.

Branding is enjoying resurgence in Perth, Australia and Marc Pinto of Primitive Body Piercing Studio in Barrack St, is leading the way in this primal art form. Marc Pinto is an international pioneer in the promotion and preservation of the traditional art of fine cauterie branding. Primitive Body Piercing Studio is the only one in Perth that offers professional custom cauterie branding services, where each design can be uniquely custom made for the individual. Having trained at the Fakir Musafar School of Branding Intensives in San Francisco, Marc Pinto has also pioneered techniques for fine cauterie branding that is now used and taught in the Fakir School of Branding Intensives itself.

With more than 13 years experience, Marc Pinto and his team are passionate about the traditional history of the branding culture and hope to adorn the bodies of their clients with pieces of artwork that will keep the rich history of branding progressing well into the future.

Note: Professional custom cauterie branding services are now also available at Marc Pinto Primitive Tattoo in Singapore.