This interview was originally published in Zest Girls Sri Lanka magazine and is republished here for Feral Voice with permission.
When most people hear the word “vampire,” their minds go straight to Bram Stoker’s Dracula or the blood-drinking demons found in local literature. Western films and books have given us plenty of fanged creatures that emerge at night to feed. But the woman we’re speaking with today is no fictional blood-sucker. She is Maria Jose Cristerna - known worldwide as the “Vampire Woman” - a real person from Mexico whose body has become a living canvas of transformation.
Cristerna has modified roughly 90% of her skin with tattoos, piercings, and other body modifications. Her appearance is deliberately fierce and androgynous, designed to startle at first glance. Even her teeth have been shaped into sharp, vampire-like fangs. She works as a professional tattoo artist and performs as a singer with her band, Eva Lumbre. What many don’t know is that before this radical transformation, she was a successful lawyer - a beautiful young woman practicing in the courts of Mexico.
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say. I am not a person who perceives people from their look - the insides are what count. Many people with ties and expensive suits are robbing us, so… you can’t trust in the look!”
Disillusioned by a legal system where justice seemed available only to those with money or connections, she walked away from law. From a young age she had been drawn to tattoos and piercing, but the decision to push her body to this extreme level came after painful experiences in her marriage. Today she is a powerful advocate against violence toward women, using her growing fame to speak out for survivors of domestic abuse.
It is a privilege to share this conversation - originally conducted for Zest Girls Sri Lanka - with an international audience through Feral Voice.
In Her Own Words
01: Is this your childhood dream?
I haven’t thought of it as a child. When I became a tattoo artist, I started letting other people work on my skin. I was young when my father and I traveled to London - he was a chef - and I saw many punk people who amazed me. The vampire aesthetics influenced me too. I actually tattooed my face out of deep respect for ancient culture, to evoke the Aztec warriors known as the Jaguar Knights, who sharpened their teeth to look fierce and mean.
02: What do you think about your natural-born look? We know you had a gorgeous appearance before.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say. I am not a person who judges people by their appearance - the inside is what truly matters. Many people wearing ties and expensive suits are the ones robbing us, so you can’t trust the look.
03: What was the reason you went for this extreme modification?
It’s part of my job. It’s about learning these techniques and pushing the boundaries for the sake of being different.
04: What was your start?
My first tattoo was at the age of 14 - a demon face on my left arm. It’s small because at the time I was trying to keep it hidden. Even then, I was already in love with this art.
05: How many years did you spend on this modification process?
I have spent 22 years of my life on this journey.
06: At present, how many piercings and tattoos do you have? Are there any complications? How do these modifications affect your daily work?
I work as a tattoo artist, so the modifications don’t get in the way of my daily work. I have 25 piercings, 15 body modifications, and 96% of my skin is tattooed.
07: What is your favorite part of your modified body?
I have eyes on my legs that remind me of my children’s eyes — always watching what I do, so I have to be a good human being. The broken hearts with dates engraved on them are also very meaningful. Both of my parents died from heart conditions, so I carry them with me through these pieces. The stars on my face are another reminder of my parents, watching over me from the universe. The tattoos that connect me to my kids and my parents are especially important to me. As for the implants, I like them all!
08: What is your current profession - tattoo artist or attorney? Isn’t it difficult to work as an attorney with your new look?
I quit as an attorney when I became disappointed by the fact that justice is only there if you have the money or friends to buy it. It wasn’t the right work for me. I prefer tattooing, playing with my band Eva Lumbre, and talking to women about domestic violence. Fame has made me understand that I have a louder voice, and it’s a huge responsibility to use it for good.
09: We think you gave a start to a new trend for a new generation. People have the right to change themselves into what they like. What is your view on today’s body modification trends among young people?
There are many others who modified their bodies long before me, so it wouldn’t be accurate to say I started it. What I am doing differently, though, is using my fame to speak out loudly for a cause. I wouldn’t like to be considered only as a “freak.”
10: Is this the complete look? Or do you have future plans? What will the complete look be?
I haven’t thought about it. Maybe one day I get tired of everything and just keep the tattoos, or maybe I become a biomechanical person - ha!
Tattoos and piercings have become hugely popular among today’s youth. Even young women are embracing these forms of self-expression. They are art and fashion — not a measure of anyone’s character, values, or worth. Behind Maria Jose Cristerna’s bold, sometimes intimidating appearance stands a thoughtful, mature woman who has reclaimed her body, her voice, and her power.
Originally published in Zest Girls Sri Lanka magazine. Republished with permission for Feral Voice.
Conversation
Comments