Arts Entertainments

Tattoo art – History and aesthetics

Through more than 10,000 years of recorded history, we find that humans have an innate desire to adorn themselves and their environment. A house is not just a house, but a home that expresses the personality of the inhabitant. A temple is not just a structure for worship, but a building for those who try to reach God; Just think of the Gothic cathedrals, pointing to the sky. A car is not just a means of transportation, but a symbol of power or lack of it. And so it goes on.

And the tattoos? Being more personal than structures and environment, we must look inward to understand its popularity in contemporary society.

Tattoos in America:

Keep in mind that not all societies adopt tattoos as a means of personal and community expression. In many cultures, especially illiterate societies, tattoos carry the visual symbols, icons, and signs of the collective consciousness and memories that they wish to preserve.

In the United States, given its popularity today, we can see that tattoos are a continuation of the symbols of rebellion, of being different, of presenting a contrary attitude, of nonconformity of previous generations. Instead of long hair, we now have long nails, body piercings, and tattoos. However, no one can discern a cause for that rebellion other than the deep desire to be individualistic.

Is it a passing fad? Since the fashion is lasting more than a decade, we can say that perhaps it is more than a fashion; it can be a much longer wave. Young people imitate stars, celebrities, and other famous achievers. In soccer we see a veteran player like David Beckham sporting highly visible tattoos on his neck; Following Beckham’s lead, young forward Natasha Kai isn’t shy about showing off her countless tattoos. In boxing, tattoos are almost mandatory – perhaps as weapons of intimidation – as most boxers use them. The fiercer the tattoo, the fiercer the boxer’s appearance – just look closely at Mike Tyson’s face.

Tattoos are bridges between the body and the soul:

For many people, tattoos are connectors between material reality and the spiritual realm, just like prayers. While prayers are somewhat restricted for most worship, or for matters of extreme danger, fixed and constant tattoos are reminders of our loneliness in this world. One look at them can improve that feeling of dread.

Sometimes it is difficult, if not impossible, to externalize a personal inner search. A graphical representation can do that for us as a way of telling others “this is what I’m doing, what about that?” For some people, their tattoos express defiance and often hostility.

For many, tattoos concretize their faith in some abstraction. Take, for example, patriotism, freedom, or love. These human emotions and feelings cannot be properly articulated, but can be easily expressed with a tattoo of the American flag, the liberty bell, or bleeding hearts.

Tattoos and aesthetics: from the ridiculous to the sublime

It can be argued that a tattoo doesn’t have to justify anything other than beauty. Many of the Celtic, butterfly, dragon, floral and even weapon tattoos are so designed and executed that they evoke a feeling of wonder and admiration.

If a tattoo is well balanced, complete and has a splendor of its own, then we can say that it is beautiful. Is beauty to be justified? Of course not, but keep in mind that quality must prevail; If enough quality tattoos are displayed, then we are justified in calling this part of the aesthetic “body art.”

Tattoos that have been worked on and perfected over a long period of time often achieve a feeling of not just awe but something sublime. Without knowing why, how or what in particular moves us when we look at a fine work that shines with a mystical aura, we feel as if we are in the presence of a divinity. This feeling can be achieved with a simple icon; an abundance of extended skin coverage sometimes repels rather than attracts.

A person must be careful in his choice, because one can easily go from the sublime to the ridiculous, from the angelic to the demonic, or from the respectful to the offensive.

Generational reactions:

While the general public is tolerant and laissez-faire regarding tattoos, generations in power (such as the power to hire, promote, and fire) are less inclined to accept the practice.

Tattoos are still considered a vehicle of strangeness in an applicant; a visible sign that the individual may not be a team player, someone difficult to handle. This may not be true, but it is the way of corporate cultures. In fact, I’ve heard a human resources executive denigrate tattoos as “prison art.”

Sense and Sensibility:

Common sense tells us to be sensitive to other people’s feelings, history, and culture. Similarly, tattoos should not be used to offend others. Political symbols and religious symbols remain taboo in the United States. Cosmic and zodiac expressions have become universal symbols and are looked upon with sympathy.

Conclusion:

Like any other human endeavor, likes, likes, and dislikes, tattoos have captured the imagination of the younger generation and are here to stay. While some are critical of the practice, most people are tolerant. And instead of looking for the negative, we must look for the positive gains that (tattoos) can bring to the user, and also the beauty that some of them contain.

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