“The colors and pictures we apply to our skin communicate our values and aspirations as well as our hopes and personal histories. Even when we adopt the “natural look” and don't adorn our skin at all, we are making a social statement. Our skin talks even when we don't; it is not a neutral canvas.” (Jablonski, 164) We as a species are obsessed with our appearance and are equally preoccupied with altering it to our own varied desires. Each person wants nothing less than perfection, but each has an unique idea of what that means. Every person on the planet engages in some form of body modification to achieve the look that they can identify with and feel is their own. From cosmetics to cosmetic surgery, a pierced ear to a facial implant, hair styling to tattoos, and everything in between, altering our bodies is part of our way of life. Body painting was likely the first way in which the human animal adorned itself and attempted to express its individual status amongst the species. Long before the tools were invented required in the production of clothing; prehistoric hominids implemented embellishment of the physical form by smearing natural pigments such as hematite, limonite, manganese, and ash, as well as, chalk and charcoal. Scarification through branding as a cosmetic body alteration likely began in the early days after the invention of fire and has been carried on in various ways and by various cultures into the present day. Other forms of body alteration including diverse types of piercing and circumcision are remnants of the cultures from the ancient world. Tattooing and deliberate scarification became other ways of personal expression early on in prehistory, possibly also before fashioned clothing. It is co... ... middle of paper ... ...TE / SITE OFFICIEL D'ORLAN." ORLAN OFFICIAL WEBSITE SITE OFFICIEL DORLAN RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2013. . Rush, John A.. Spiritual tattoo: a cultural history of tattooing, piercing, scarification, branding, and implants. Berkeley, Calif.: Frog :, 2005. Print. "Second Life with Autism." YouTube. YouTube, 30 Aug. 2007. Web. 20 Dec. 2013. . Taylor, Mark C.. Hiding. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997. Print. Wegenstein, Bernadette. The cosmetic gaze: body modification and the construction of beauty. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2012. Print. "modern." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2013. . "modernism." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2013. .
The first recorded surgical procedures according to Doctor Haiken were in India, and they consisted of reparations to the nose and ears, usually because the person had been injured in battle or as punishments for crimes (1997). Such procedures though were not openly talked about and were kept secret for centuries by the Indian society (1997). Indians weren’t the only ones to take to such practices; Romans also became proficient in advanced plastic surgery procedures. To the Romans it wasn’t so much about to trying to make reparations to past wounds, but rather assure a person’s beauty by removing any imperfections. As a matter of fact the most popular surgery was circumcision removal to both females and males (Random
Body modifications, with the focus of tattoos, have existed in our society for centuries and the way in which it is perceived has changed somewhat over the years, yet certain dishonors still remain our modern day. Like most body modifications, tattoos are an often misunderstood form of body modification. Despite the stigmas, tattoos have become a unique object of desire to endless diverse groups of people. But are the popular assumptions of tattoos out of sync with the true meaning behind them? Further explanation and exploration of the history will reveal the social and cultural practices of tattooing and the causal connection between the mind and the tattooed body, in addition to providing answers as to why tattoos stimulate uneasiness and curiosity and create a challenge to discursive practices.
Garland-Thomson, Rosemarie. "Chapter 15: Beholding." Staring: How We Look. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2009. 199-208. Print.
(2014). The Artification of Tattoo: Transformations within a Cultural Field. Cultural Sociology, 8(2), 142. Retrieved from http://www.galileo.usg.edu.
For a long time now body art and decoration has been a custom in many cultural groups. Through research we have learned about the different types of body art and ornamentation such as permanent and nonpermanent tattooing, scarification, and piercings. These forms of body art and ornamentation are done for a variety of reasons, ranging from identification purposes to religious rituals. “Skin, as a visible way of defining individual identity and cultural difference, is not only a highly elaborated preoccupation in many cultures; it is also the subject of wide-ranging and evolving scholarly discourse in the humanities and social sciences” (Schildkrout, 2004). The process of ornamentation and body art is usually a painful experience, but it is a way to signify a person’s self-discovery and their place in society. In this paper, I will explore the different aspects of body art and ornamentation in two different cultures; the Maori people of New Zealand and the Yoruba’s of West Africa and explain the cultural importance of their art.
Tradition of humans permanently marking their bodies has consistently been utilized as a means of identification. Greeks used it as a form of punishment and branding of those considered as “others” which comprised of slaves and convicts- ideology that was then carried over into Roman culture as a tool of state control (Fisher, 2002). Indigenous tribes that lacked a written language applied tattoos as a system of visual communication. Both the Osage and Omaha tribes tattooed themselves based on success in warfare, bearing a skull on the back of their heads to signify victory in battle. Inuit men would mark on themselves how many whales they hunted, while ink on women conveyed marital status (Porcella, 2009). Despite a long-standing history in other cultures, it is emphasized that the Polynesian and Japanese cultures are largely responsible for the diffusion of tattoos into Western society.
Tattoos have been used as a form of decoration on the body of the Egyptian mummies. In fact, tattoos were viewed as a “beautifying operation” to the Typee natives and in Wales they were once a royal fad. There have been many eras to see the tattoo as a prestigious decoration. The Japanese also practiced a form of tattooing that covered their warriors in intimidating designs. But after years of beauty and prestige, what changed the views of people? What made tattoos rebellious and unprofessional?
Every 62 minutes, someone dies from an eating disorder. Every minute, someone attempts suicide. These are the horrifying results of society's constant pressure on everyone to look and act perfectly. Without action, these statistics might only increase over generations. The world would be a much better place if no one felt poorly about themselves enough to change their looks. When people are applauded when they alter their appearance in an extreme way, it teaches everyone that it is normal to maul and change themselves. As a result, both mental and physical disorders occur. If plastic surgery, eating disorders, and other attempts to change appearance no longer become standard in the world today, the little girl looking at herself in the mirror would no longer see herself as ugly or fat, instead pretty as the way she is. The teen crying herself to bed each night thinking of her complexion instead smiles to herself thinking of all the accomplishments she's made. The young women no longer feels the need to starve herself or tear her face apart in order to feel beautiful. Instead, society encourages her to be herself, and be proud of the spectacular looks with which she was
Symbolism and meaning is by far one of the most important aspects of the tattoo industry. “The abstract emotions and human awareness of emotions show what really is going on in ones life (Johnson)”. For that reason tattooing is a form of self-expression, and can stand for literal interpretations. For the most part these interpretations are the conveying of spiritual meaning, or marking milestones such as life or death” (Johnson). For those who think tattooing is just for looks or put a bad judgment on it, should also realize that ones personal interest reflects upon their lives. “Many individuals get their first tattoos during adolescence or young adulthood.”(Bravermark) Due to the mainstream culture, these traditions traditionally associate with stereotypes. Stereotypes defiantly have a huge impact on life. Which leads to the next point? Whether flaunted or hidden, sought as art or brought out on a whim, the tattoo has left a huge impact on generation after generation.
It isn 't uncommon to see people walking around with tattoos permanently stained on their body. It is also uncommon to know that they usually have a meaning. From Chinese symbols to images devoted to the flying spaghetti monster, people love to keep these tattoos to remind them of a message or a special someone. According to the World Book Advanced Dictionary, a tattoo is "to mark (the skin) with designs or patterns by pricking a line of holes and putting in colors. ' ' And the meaning of an individual 's tattoo can vary depending on where you are. In this essay, I will discuss contrasting elements in prison and in tribal tattoos. This will be done by doing a cross sectional study of their history, meaning and methods. Are prison and tribal tattoos similar or different?
Jun'ichirō, Tanizaki. “The Tattooer”. 603-102-04 Eastern Literature. Jeffrey Fyfe. Toronto, ON: CSPI – Coursepack, 2012. Print
Body piercings have been around since before Biblical times and even earlier. Body piercings have a very interesting and vast history. The piercing methods have been used for a very long time. There are many different types of bodily piercings that a person can get. The purpose of this paper is to inform the reader about the history of body piercings, popular types of body piercings, modern day piercing, and facts about body piercings.
A persons’ image is vital when meeting someone for the first time. Our peers, employers, family, superiors, even strangers that you walk past can automatically judge someone, and imagine how they present themselves to the world. Tattoos have been predominantly linked with a rebellious attitude and pictured on out of control stereotypes such as rock starts, bikers, sailors, and disobedient teenagers who want nothing more than to hack off their parents. With a new coming of age generation and a step into a more lenient and liberal society these types of patrons still participate in body art but so do doctors, lawyers, or just the run of the mill house mom. Tattoos signify religious beliefs, cultural influence, or each individual’s sole style. Body art is no longer socially offensive, employers are more apt to hiring tatted hopeful applicants, parents are warming up to the idea of their children inking their body and no longer a stranger on the street with a tattoo is necessarily prejudged as a criminal or safety hazard. Tattoos have become more evolved over the years because they have become more of a socially accepted element of the general public.
Advancements to science and technology marks one way people are able to change the way they identify themselves. With these advancements, very little about a person’s figure is set in stone. Aspects such as how tall a person is, how much they weigh, and how they look can be easily changed. For example, if someone doesn’t like the way they look, they can go pay a surgeon to morph their bodies into a figure they desire. Nowadays, people can even alter the genders that they associate themselves with, to a certain extent. Since 1997, there has been a 279% increase in the total number of cosmetic procedures performed (“American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery”).
Jones, Jonathan . "Tattooing: Eye Catching- but are they art?." Guardian 23 September 2011, n.