What is it about tattoos that can bring about a negative connotation? Sure, there are trashy tattoos out there, or ones that the person wearing them might regret, but a haircut or an outfit can be equally as crummy. For some reason today, there is still a sector of people who take the time to judge a person with tattoos as trashy or unintelligent or inferior.
There is a real art in tattoos. The ability for a "tattoo artist" to be able to accurately do linework and shading on someone skin that will inevitably be there forever is almost frightening but also incredibly impressive and has taken lots of training and skill. And for so many people to put that responsibility (most of the time) in a compete strangers hands? There is something to be said for that. Of course, the artists' work is displayed along with their licenses in the parlors and on websites so customers can view their skill prior to getting their tattoos.
The images and text in tattoos are definitely a reflection of the person that they adorn. They can mean a whole slew of things - names of passed loved ones, images of horoscopes or ones representing religion, meaningful quotes and verses, ones that show interests and passions, or ones that are purely aesthetic. Whatever you choose, you are making a choice to have that thing printed on your body forever and it is a very permanent outward expression of some part of yourself.
There was a little article I saw once that I saved. It said this:
WHY INTELLIGENT PEOPLE HAVE TATTOOING.
Because: Tattooing is an odd and beautiful form of art; very interesting and more expressive of sentiment than any other thing. It is more fascinating than costly jewelry and cannot be lost, borrowed or stolen. It is a memento we can keep through life and retain after death. A sure identification in case of need upon Land or Sea. The Art has been patronized by all Ranks and Classes, including members of Royalty, Nobility and Society, Army and Navy, Sportsmen and Travelers of the World. J.H.
There is a Siberian "princess" whose remains were discovered about 20 years ago encased in ice. Her arms had been preserved so that today we can see the beautiful tattoos that covered her skin as a representation of status as well as age from her Pazyryk culture. She is 5 centuries older than Christ. She was a healer and had a high status in society. We call her a princess. Her ink allows people in our modern age to learn about our ancestors and their way of life - how they expressed themselves and in what ways they did it. These tattoos can be linked other artwork that has been found from the same era - drawing connections and helping us gather more information in a less conventional way.
Tattoos are dedicated expressions of the soul. They are paintings on a different kind of canvas. They are memories, encouragement, mistakes, laughs, tears, perseverance, friendship, beauty, and heartbreak. They are images of life, but instead of being written on pages of a journal, they are inked into the body of the life they illustrate.
Read more on the Siberian Princess Ukok and her 2,500 year old tattoos:
No comments:
Post a Comment