Tattoos are regarded as an art that focuses on design, beauty, symbolism and others literally regard as a culture. For thousands of years, tattoos have been acknowledged in many parts of the world. Art is different in in each person’s eyes, but the amount of creativity put into each piece is astonishing, this as well applies with tattoos. The time taken, the dedication and perfecting of each body drawing matters in the world of Tattoo creation. However, the stereotype of tattoo is negative to the world’s eyes, mostly middle aged to old people. Some of them even call it ‘a sign of bad people’. These make people who want tattoos afraid of getting them. Though tattoo is more common in today’s world, there are always conflicts between the old generation and new generation when speaking of tattoo. This shows that the old generation cannot accept tattoo but the new generation sees tattoo as a fine body art. They fully embrace and accept it.
Around the world, in recent years, tattoos have undergone remarkable transformation. Being used in terms of culture. In Japan today, tattoo culture is known as irezumi after tattoos were prohibited in Japan because its mostly criminals who were symbolizing them. Other parts of the world in Africa, India, USA, China, as cultural symbolism to represent many things like love, life, eternity, beauty, death even religion like the Buddhist culture linked with Mandala tattoos. Adding to this, tattoos can be identified as just a body art and embraced by many around the world and are completely harmless however can also be a tragic if not perfected or misinterpreted.
Using my mobile, I have interviewed an Asian tattoo artist from India, ‘Mike Surav’who is living in Ireland Dublin city for the past six years. He shows us one of his his works being created of a wolf symbolizing loyalty. Due to the nature of work, a little louder sound of the machine can be heard but with the lighting inside the room to enable us see his work.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C50ttrdoHW5/?igsh=YTZoNzg4dGg1OWdu
Mike has given me the chance to work with him as he takes us through a daily journey as a tattoo artist. I have chosen this frame so as to know, and understand the various aspects of the tattoo especially as a culture, the symbolism and meanings of tattoos around the world and what they represent both to the public and the person hence not forgetting the beauty and art behind them.
