Regrets

I would like to finish this blog with one of the most commonly assumed issues with tattooing: regrets. People ask me all f this time if I will regret having any of my numerous tattoos. The answer is of course YES. I have never met anyone who is heavily tattooed that doe snot have a regret here or there. Example: I wish I would have got with X design instead of Y. I wish I would have waited for this artists instead of that artist. It is just the reality of putting something on your body for life. However, what I am also asked very often is: what about how it will look when you are old? What about it - I respond. What about how I will look when I am old. Somehow I doubt that when I am 65 years old, my tattoos will be the one thing that look odd when I gaze at myself in the mirror. I am sure the sagging skin, gray hair, and scars from surgery will catch my eye as less than appealing too.

Christianity and Tattoos

Anyone who has spent any amount of time around tattoo artists or those get tattoos will quickly realize that religious symbolism is always evident. The book of Leviticus states,  "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD." 


Clearly, there is a prohibition against such activities; however this has not stopped scores of individuals from receiving ink. This, to me, is a very good thing. This rebellion against established doctrine has produced some of the most amazing skin art around. There is always something beautiful when you mix deep personal meaning and great art. This can be seen throughout history. So much of the art, architecture and poetry we enjoy today has roots in religion in one way or another. 


Benjamin would state that the aura of an original piece can be lost when it is reproduced. I find no greater evidence against this when the ultimate reproduction is performed for an individual on their skin. The art will continue to provide power - despite its reproduction. Walton claims that art is an expression of our childhood. I have often thought that tattooing is indeed a great expression of our childlike qualities. Who did not adorn their bodies as children with crazy stuff - or draw on their skin? 

The Negative

Although artist Bob Parr claims that wearing a piece of art is an amazing way to display the beauty of the image - one must not forget a very real aspect of tattoo culture - that which propagates and furthers racial hatred. One such group which is known very well for their display of hate tattoos is the neo-Nazi movement. This should come as no surprise, as the Nazi's themselves were key players in the development of visual propaganda.  Scholars were greatly concerned with the potential impact of Nazi propaganda, so much so that the very field of mass communication owes much of its origin to this very topic. The hypodermic-needle theory developed out of this era. This basically states that the media had great power over our behavior and thought process - especially by utilizing powerful propaganda tools.

Which brings us back to the nature of tattoos as a means of spreading fear - also giving a new meaning to the hypodermic-needle theory (pun intended). The power of the image is intense - pictures can move us and instill fear in us. More so when we see an individual who is not only willing to own a piece of historical propaganda and hang it on their wall - but to forever apply it to their body.

Hot Shops - Omaha, Nebraska

Our Visual Communication class visited Hot Shops on January 25, 2011 to view an art exhibit which featured various works reflecting on the nature of military service - ranging from the Civil way to our current conflict with Iraq and Afghanistan. As a veteran of the Air Force, I found the exhibit to be an extremely moving tribute to those who serve. The subject matter reflected a wide range of emotions that accompany military service: sacrifice, loss, the glory of war and the tragedy of war - just to name a few. The idea of war is never an easy topic to tackle, and to label it good or bad does not to justice to the complexities with which it brings; the exhibit reflects that fact. The photographs have been transitioned to black and white - and this is my justification for doing so: the exhibit is a somber one, and as I observed our class - their tone appeared somber as well. The link to the photo slide show is below.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j5oaFvpXds

Vis Comm Blog

 By utilizing my own photography, this blog will examine the powerful communicative role that images and art have in our society. Although the power of the image is a world-wide phenomenon, this blog will focus on the Omaha, Nebraska metro area. The first segment of this exploration will look at a medium that many may not consider art - or even an image: the tattoo. I hope to spend considerable time at local tattoo shops interviewing and photographing artists and those who wear the art on their bodies. This will help us understand the culture that surrounds tattoos, as well as the messages that tattoos convey.

Although I personally dabbled in getting tattoos before I met my current tattoo artist, Bob Parr (pictured below), it was not until I began speaking with him in 2006 that I began to fully understand the power and artistry of tattoos. Parr began as a traditional artist working on canvas after receiving his BFA in studio art from Iowa State University in 1998. However, after getting tattooed himself - he discovered his love for the living canvass instead. Parr grounds his respect for the medium in the long historical tradition that it has. No image, Parr says, can covey as much power as one that a human is willing to display on their bodies for life.

I find this to be a compelling argument, although I would have to argue that the power of art is a completely subjective concept. However, what I do not find to be all that subjective is the theory put forth by cultural theorist Stuart Hall, which states that all images are infused with meaning by the producer of that image. I think this is especially true in the world of tattoos. I will grant that not all tattoos have meaning - some are done for purely aesthetic reasons. Still, the majority of tattoos in one way or another are attempting to convey a meaning to those who wear it, and to those who view it.

I also believe that tattoos fly in the face of any philosophy which would state that art must reach a particular ideal to be considered true art. Tattoos, once delegated to the criminal and lower classes of society, have reached far beyond their origins and are now challenging that stereotype as they gain acceptance with even the most prominent professions. On another note, new media artist Douglas Davis states that digital reproduction of original works carries just as much artistic value as an original. I believe this can be seen not only in better digital reproduction, but also better tattoo technology. Through better designed tattoo guns, inks and needles, artists are more capable than ever to reproduce original artwork on the human canvas. As an example, I have provided a tattoo on my own body - which is a reproduction of a painting by Alex Grey. I find the work of Grey to be extremely moving - and to wear a work of his art means more to me than owning it in poster form.