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.
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.
