10 minute read
BARBARA GEIER COLUMN
German efficiency? Those days are over.
Good news for everyone who has ever had an inferiority complex in the presence of alleged German efficiency and organisation superiority. People, those days are over. It’s interesting times in Germany at the moment. The country has entered a period where all the things that could have been relied on in the past, including infrastructure (trains!) and administrative processes, are getting as wobbly as in many other parts of the world.
Spend one day on German Twitter / reading German media / watching German TV / talking to Germans and you will get an acute sense of ‘things are not really working anymore as they should, are they?’. Apart from the current ailments of Deutsche Bahn, which involve way too many trains that is good for the German soul running late or not running at all, digitalisation – or the missing digitalisation – is a favourite topic. This involves self-flagellation in the media and frequent citing of rankings that list Germany in places where you wouldn’t expect the country to be. Such as in one by the Berlin-based European Centre for Digital Competitiveness (ECDC), which considers Germany’s digital competitiveness to only be good enough for the second-to-last place in Europe. And should you be wondering, Albania comes last. I wonder if the report’s researchers gave minus points for the use of fax machines? It often strikes me that Germany seems to be the only country where people still include fax numbers in their email footer.
Nevertheless, while the ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ country seems to have lost just a bit of the ‘Vorsprung’, it might be catching up in the ‘unintentionally funny signs’ department, which I just made up. Here’s a recent favourite of mine – found on Twitter –because after all, in times like these, any source of merriment will do. A piece of paper stuck on a drinks machine (in a university or some other organisation) displayed the following: “Please note, this machine is new. However, it cannot be used yet as a few technical details are missing. During the breaks, please get your drinks for the time being from the cafeteria. Please note that the cafeteria is currently closed”. And on that note, let me go and send a fax.
Barbara Geier is a London-based freelance writer, translator and communications consultant. She is also the face behind www.germanyiswunderbar.com, a German travel and tourism guide and blog that was set up together with UK travel writer Andrew Eames in 2010.
Switzerland, the new tattoo nation Switzerland, the new tattoo nation Switzerland, the new tattoo nation
Journalist Clément Grandjean is an expert on Swiss tattooing. His book Swiss Tattoo will be published in September by Helvetiq.
ClémentGrandjean
Do you know Miss Alwanda, «the Swiss Tattoo Le graphisme dans la peau tattooed lady»? This late 19th century circus actress - who displayed a body covered with portraits of European crowned heads and told of being kidnapped and forcibly tattooed by native Americans - is one of the many finds made by Clément Grandjean last year. This journalist and graduate in history and art history spent the last 18 months meeting tattoo artists, snooping around museums, immersing himself in archives and interviewing historians to write the first book dedicated to Swiss tattooing.
What impressions did you get from your meetings with Swiss tattoo artists?
I was impressed by the immense diversity that can be found in the field. Each tattoo artist has his own approach, style and background and has evolved in a very unique way. It’s quite dizzying: when you get your first tattoo, you often choose based on purely aesthetic criteria, unaware of how much the type of studio, the atmosphere that reigns there, the time spent on the tattoo will impact the experience.
Another thing that struck me is that tattooing involves a particular process where pain and intimacy intersect. This can be felt in many tattoo artists. They are very gentle, they listen. They know to put people at ease.
Does Switzerland hold a special position in the world of tattooing?
It certainly holds a more important position than Swiss tattoo artists want to admit it, in terms of quality and diversity of forms. A few people,
Clément Grandjean Do you know Miss Alwanda, «the How is it perceived from abroad? Swiss Tattoo Le graphisme dans la peau tattooed lady»? This late 19th century circus actress - who Abroad, people know the names, displayed a body covered with portraits of European crowned but they don’t really perceive heads and told of being kidnapped and forcibly tattooed by Switzerland as a destination in terms of tattoo. The most native Americans - is one of the many finds made by Clément famous Swiss tattoo artists have worked all over the world. Grandjean last year. This journalist and graduate in history They could have moved to the United States or elsewhere, and art history spent the last 18 months meeting tattoo but they didn’t. Not for nothing. And today, the clients of artists, snooping around museums, immersing himself in Filip Leu and Sailor Bit, for example, come from from all over archives and interviewing historians to write the first book the world. These people take the little train to Sainte-Croix: dedicated to Swiss tattooing. they come to Switzerland for them !
How has tattooing evolved in Switzerland?What impressions did you get from your meetings
with Swiss tattoo artists? As in other European countries, in the years 1970-80, we came across I was impressed by the immense diversity that can be found in the field. Each tattoo artist has his own approach, style and mainly tattoos of bikers. Then some background and has evolved in a very unique way. It’s quite tattoo artists gave a kick in the dizzying: when you get your first tattoo, you often choose the anthill and showed that we could based on purely aesthetic criteria, unaware of how much the do something else with this medium, type of studio, the atmosphere that reigns there, the time adopt a more artistic approach. spent on the tattoo will impact the experience. Then came the internet, which
Another thing that struck me is that tattooing involves a democratized the profession. And particular process where pain and intimacy intersect. This for the last ten years, we have seen can be felt in many tattoo artists. They are very gentle, they a new questioning of tattooing with listen. They know to put what I call the ECAL generation people at ease. (Ecole cantonale d’art de Lausanne). Does Switzerland This generation does not come hold a special from the same world as the previous ones. Many have a position in the world background in graphic design, typography or visual arts. of tattooing? They have revisited the art of tattooing it in their own way. Moreover, they don’t only do that: in their professional It certainly holds a more important position than life they are also creating posters, books, illustrations and Swiss tattoo artists want design. This relationship to graphic design is perhaps to admit it, in terms of the greatest development in Swiss tattooing these days. quality and diversity Swiss Tattoo - September 2022 of forms. A few people, © Helvetiq - more info and preorders: helvetiq.com
Clément Grandjean Do you know Miss Alwanda, «the How is it perceived from abroad? Swiss Tattoo Le graphisme dans la peau tattooed lady»? This late 19th century circus actress - who Abroad, people know the names, displayed a body covered with portraits of European crowned but they don’t really perceive heads and told of being kidnapped and forcibly tattooed by Switzerland as a destination in terms of tattoo. The most native Americans - is one of the many finds made by Clément famous Swiss tattoo artists have worked all over the world. Grandjean last year. This journalist and graduate in history They could have moved to the United States or elsewhere, but they didn’t. Not for nothing. And today, the clients of and art history spent the last 18 months meeting tattoo Filip Leu and Sailor Bit, for example, come from from all over artists, snooping around museums, immersing himself in the world. These people take the little train to Sainte-Croix: archives and interviewing historians to write the first book they come to Switzerland for them ! dedicated to Swiss tattooing.
How has tattooing evolved in Switzerland?
What impressions did you get from your meetings As in other European countries, in with Swiss tattoo artists? the years 1970-80, we came across mainly tattoos of bikers. Then some I was impressed by the immense diversity that can be found tattoo artists gave a kick in the in the field. Each tattoo artist has his own approach, style and the anthill and showed that we could background and has evolved in a very unique way. It’s quite do something else with this medium, dizzying: when you get your first tattoo, you often choose adopt a more artistic approach. based on purely aesthetic criteria, unaware of how much the Then came the internet, which type of studio, the atmosphere that reigns there, the time democratized the profession. And spent on the tattoo will impact the experience. for the last ten years, we have seen
Another thing that struck me is that tattooing involves a a new questioning of tattooing with particular process where pain and intimacy intersect. This what I call the ECAL generation can be felt in many tattoo artists. They are very gentle, they (Ecole cantonale d’art de Lausanne). listen. They know to put This generation does not come people at ease. from the same world as the previous ones. Many have a background in graphic design, typography or visual arts. Does Switzerland They have revisited the art of tattooing it in their own way. hold a special Moreover, they don’t only do that: in their professional position in the world life they are also creating posters, books, illustrations and of tattooing? design. This relationship to graphic design is perhaps the greatest development in Swiss tattooing these days.It certainly holds a more important position than Swiss Tattoo - September 2022 Swiss tattoo artists want © Helvetiq - more info and preorders: helvetiq.com to admit it, in terms of quality and diversity such as the Leu family, has had out-sized influence. They have trained a new generation, upped the game and put Swiss tattooing on the world map.
How is it perceived from abroad?
Abroad, people know the names, but they don’t really perceive Switzerland as a destination in terms of tattoo. The most famous Swiss tattoo artists have worked all over the world. They could have moved to the United States or elsewhere, but they didn’t. Not for nothing. And today, the clients of Filip Leu and Sailor Bit, for example, come from from all over the world. These people take the little train to Sainte-Croix: they come to Switzerland for them !
How has tattooing evolved in Switzerland?
As in other European countries, in the years 1970-80, we came across mainly tattoos of bikers. Then some tattoo artists gave a kick in the the anthill and showed that we could do something else with this medium, adopt a more artistic approach. Then came the internet, which democratized the profession. And for the last ten years, we have seen a new questioning of tattooing with what I call the ECAL generation (Ecole cantonale d’art de Lausanne). This generation does not come from the same world as the previous ones. Many have a background in graphic design, typography or visual arts. They have revisited the art of tattooing it in their own way. Moreover, they don’t only do that: in their professional life they are also creating posters, books, illustrations and design. This relationship to graphic design is perhaps the greatest development in Swiss tattooing these days. Swiss Tattoo - September 2022
