A fan of extreme body modification has had puzzle pieces tattooed all over his body, to the extent where he resembles a walking, talking jigsaw. The Enigma, real name Paul Lawrence, is an artist, actor, and sideshow performer with a passion for body ink, and his interest has even seen him break records.
On April 13th 2011, it was confirmed the US-based performer had set the official record for the most jigsaw-puzzle pieces tattoos, with officials needing three hours to count his 2,123 tats. As previously reported by the Daily Star, officials determined only tattoos with clearly inked borders would be included in the count, ignoring any faded ones.
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Most of The Enigma's puzzle pieces have been inked in blue ink, while the whites of his eyeballs have been coloured in pitch black. On top of his unique display of tattoos, The Enigma has undergone various body modifications, including five flesh tunnels around his mouth and two implants in his head shaped like horns.
Even his ears have been modified to resemble pieces of a jigsaw, in keeping with the rest of his dramatic look.
The Enigma first decided he wanted to cover his body with tattoo puzzle pieces back in late 1992. The following year, he began the gruelling inking process, which took more than a month to complete.
Opening up about the intense tattoo session with tattoos.com, The Enigma recalled: "It was a hard month. There were a lot of intense feelings."
As a performer, The Enigma carries out daring tricks with fire, swords, blades, and even power tools, and is particularly well known for a stunt involving him holding an apple in his mouth and slicing it with a chainsaw.
After performing with the Jim Rose Circus in the early 1990s, he went on to appear at a number of high-profile events including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Nine Inch Nails' 1994 Self Destruct Tour.
The Enigma continued: "This [referring to his tattooed skin] is the backside of the puzzle. What is outside, is also inside. The art is on the inside."
Have you opted for an extreme tattoo or body modification? Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com