LDG Presents: Paul King, Author of "Alan Oversby: Documentary Evidence"

This presentation by Paul King delves into the process of creating the first book written about London's legendary gay leatherman tattoo artist and body piercer, Alan Oversby aka Mr. Sebastian. Oversby gained international "notoriety" for being one of the gay men arrested and convicted for consensual BDSM practices. The legal consequences still shape UK law today. This presentation discusses the first public viewing of photos, material objects, and extensive interviews from the June 2022 exhibition of Mr. Sebastian and the Rise of the UK Piercing Industry and the accompanying book, Alan Oversby: Documentary Evidence. This presentation world premiered at Bishopsgate Fetish Archive, London, 2022. The LDG February 2024 presentation will be the US premiere.

Paul King has been a professional body piercer since 1991. He has lectured on body modification since 1993. He apprenticed for 18 months under Elayne Angel, master piercer and author of The Piercing Bible. He worked in all three former Gauntlet locations, managed LA and NYC and was awarded the title of Master Piercer. He has a UC Berkeley B.A. degree in Anthropology. In 1999, Paul King partnered to create Cold Steel Piercing in San Francisco. In 2007, he received the APP’s President’s Award for contributions to the Piercing Industry. He has served as a board-appointed treasurer of the APP since 2008. In 2022, he published his book Alan Oversby: Documentary Evidence, edited interviews about Mr. Sebastian. In 2014, with the support of the APP board elect, Paul King founded the Body Piercing Archive: www.bodypiercingarchive.org.