flyleaf back
A research publication about tattooing in current times.
Tattoos
After diving in this subculture, the complex layering became clear. The first layer is easily penetrated, this meaning observing and documenting their way of being. The moment that you would like to join or learn about their craft based practices it suddenly flips around into a terrotorium protective atmosphere. This two-sided face is divided through the art and craft. In general I feel that the act of tattooing is an important asset to expression as a whole and should be valued more. The doubt in the art feels to be more concerning the societies attitude towards it. The fear of being an outcast or the wish to be so. Not getting as much chances of succes as you normally would. Which actually lays the superficiallity of society bear. Not being able to understand the complexity of a person and therefore not being able to put a person in a certain box scares people.
Old Days 1
Social Religious Cultural 7
The Craft 17
The Art 23 The Craft 19
29 Interview
1
Old Days
reb 3
As civilizations developed, tattoo’s took on different meanings. The notion that you have a choice in what or where you put something on your body intrigues us. This freedom, often looked at as rebellious can be found in every culture throughout times.
bel
5
The pain was extreme and the risk of death by infection was a great concern. But to shy away from tattooing was to risk being labeled a coward.
7
Social Religious Cultural
&
The act of tattooing is a craft, the content is the art. It transcends all social and cultural divisions and can be found in every layer of society.
&
&
13
666 Too Mark
V 15
17
The Craft
too 19
str
The technique where the pigments are brought underneath the skin has not undergone any significant change during the course of history. There are, however great differences in quality, depending on the state of development in each civilization. As for example the craft aspects; the correct amount of pigment, depth of penetration, leaving scars, damaging muscles, rupturing arteries or chipping the bones.
rike
The technique where the pigments are brought underneath the skin has not undergone any significant change during the course of history. There are, however great differences in quality, depending on the state of development in each civilization. As for example the craft aspects; the correct amount of pigment, depth of penetration, leaving scars, damaging muscles, rupturing arteries or chipping the bones. When looked at the artists as craftsmen it is comprehensible that pushing the extremes is not a focus just because the traditional stays timeless. The technique where the pigments are brought underneath the skin has not undergone any significant change during the course of history. There are, however great differences in quality, depending on the state of development in each civilization. As for example the craft aspects; the correct amount of pigment, depth of penetration, leaving scars, damaging muscles, rupturing arteries or chipping the bones. When looked at the artists as craftsmen it is comprehensible that pushing the extremes is not a focus just because the traditional stays timeless. The technique where the pigments are brought underneath the skin has not undergone any significant change during the course
XXXVII
23
The Art
25
F
F
An art form that disappears along with a life itself. Having a human canvas asks the artist to start a different kind of dialogue, one that breathes and changes over time. The notion, the art is put on a human canvas raises questions about the art rather then the technique. Tattoos evoke a range of reactions- from interest, astonishment, admiration and reverence to consternation and abhorrence. They are met with open mouths or frowns, their bearers are judged or misjudged, awaking fear or desire. A tattoo always raises questions, whether in the mind of friend or foe, consciously or unconsciously, whether the person concerned is educated and generous or narrow minded and short sighted, approving or disapproving. These questions do not so much concern the technique but rather the meaning of the tattoo, the purpose it serves. Applying the theory of its philosophy, symbolism and placement makes for the value of the tattoo to rise as a craft and an art.
T 27
Just because you can, could already be a reason to think about it.
ttau ttau
INDI IND VIDU VID
29
The interview
odern Day Artis
Do you feel like innovating as an artist?
“Not really. Just because I feel that in the end I will always come back to the traditional, it’s always timeless. How does it feel to be an artist in this current time?
“As an acknowledged tattoo artist I have a problem with people who think they can do the craft on an amateur level which results in a lot of shitty tattoos. I dedicate my life doing this art and I’m constantly pushing myself to the limit.”
How do you differentiate it, as an art or craft?
“It’s both! The craft contains a lot of secrets and is passed down from mentor to student. It is quite personal and therefore taken very seriously from both sides. The quality of the craft is something is drilled on a very traditional manner. On the art side is more flexibility. The traditional styles are something that you have to learn during your training. Although you have the option to give your own input as well. It results in developing your own style, this never stops as long as you stay active as an artist.”
“Not the most unique reason but one that fascinates me still is people who are introvert, get tattooed to communicate what is actually going on in their head.” What makes or brakes an artist? “Next from the passion that makes a good artist, the confidence to actually put a tattoo on a human body should be steady. The second you loose your confidence, the quality of the tattoo will go down. ” How do you deal with the bad connotations of tattooing? “There will always be bad connotations in the game, because of history etc. This is something that you are aware of when you get a tattoo. The people around me or who I care about accept me as I am. I do notice that if I meet new people their prejudices are there but always wrong. I’m a very nice guy, I think...My tattoos show an image that not nessecarily fit to that image. But I think this is more a problem of the people and society as a whole then me as a tattooed person.
A Modern Day Ar A Modern Day Ar
What is the most reamkable reason why people get tattooed?
Sources TheTattooCollection, History of Tattoos, Accessed May 3, 2016. http://www.thetattoocollection.com/ history_of_tattoos.htm Skin Stories, History of Tatoo, Accessed April 17th, 2016. http://www.pbs.org/skinstories/history Tattootemple, Despite immense popularity, the practice has not left much of an historical record, Accessed April 17th, 2016. http://tattootemple.hk/ history-of-tattooing http://tattootemple.hk/history-of-tattooing Tattooartist, The changing cultural status of the tattoo arts in America, Accessed April 17th, 2016. http://tattooartist.com/history.html Schiffmacher, Henk (2001) 1000 Tattoos. Taschen Zimmer, Carl() Tattoos Wetenschap, Librero Schiffmacher, Henk (2008) Lexicon der tattoeages van A tot Z. Carrera
Special thanks to -Dragon Tattoo-. XL