The Thousand Year Old Art The tattoo métier has recently been sanctioned as a 1.65 billion dollar industry. Staggering statistics show that inking in America has reached unhinged rates that will only continue to multiply. A Pew study conducted last month states: “Tattoos grace the bodies of nearly 40 percent of Americans under 40” (Estes 1). When taken into consideration, that simple statistic proves how popular inking has become in America. And yet social acceptance by many cultures are still hitting a dead-end. Tattooing is so controversial because of its permanent, defiant quality. While some country’s have made tattoos illegal, others heavily look down upon them. In Japan if one is inked with a visible tattoo, one may be asked to leave gyms and spas. However, America has always been very passionate …show more content…
This outstanding mindset of the upcoming youth can be used as a magnifying glass for the future. As American children grow up in a culture that is becoming more and more demanding of tolerance, it is becoming increasingly clear that what lies ahead is optimistic. And as the world changes, the tattoo industry is changing as well. Technologically, machines are advancing at alarming rates. Trends are exploding with astonishing momentum because of the birth of the internet and social media. A receptionist that works at a tattoo-removal office quotes: “I’ve only been here for just over a year, but the technology changes so fast that I’ve been witness to the never-ending scramble to keep up” (Holland 1). Furthermore, she writes: “If you wanted tattoos removed five years ago, it would have meant many painful, expensive treatments— and gambling on the appearance of your skin afterward. Now, laser technology has advanced to where the treatments are more comfortable and safe, and the results are more predictable” (Holland
The perception of tattoos and those wearing them has varied in societies since tattoos first started being used. Some of the reasons people had/have tattoos include: therapy, protection, homage, memory, religion, or a dumb mistake. In historic cases, tattoos were used as a way to communicate with others, and were a common occurrence in most societies throughout history. Schildkrout states “There is no culture in which people do not, or did not paint, pierce, tattoo, reshape, or simply adorn their bodies (Schildkrout).”Since modern technology has made tattoos relatively affordable, faster and slightly less painful to receive, tattooing has shifted from select groups to “everyone else”. There are no specific groups for tattoos anymore, they are seen everywhere on all types of people and are less discriminated agains...
Many people have been getting tattoos lately. People of all ages have been getting them and from all different backgrounds. On a nice day in just about any public place one can spot a tattoo about every five minutes, from the business man who had a portrait of his daughter put on him to a young girl with a butterfly on her ankle and even people with extensive tattoo coverage. What is even more interesting is the rise in the number of people who are heavily tattooed and that they come from all different backgrounds. Not too long ago tattooing did not experience the popularity in mainstream culture that it does now. The question that must be asked in order to understand this fascination that popular culture has had with tattoos is why people get tattoos.
Tattoos have slowly then all at once became a subculture of its own. Although not everyone has them, everyone does know about them. -- “Tattoos have long been a hobby for some, it seems an interest in them may be broadening, Today 21% of U.S. adults report having a tattoo which is up from previous years” (Harris One In Five). With this statistic in mind we ask ourselves, what draws people to getting a tattoo? Is it to show rebellion, strength, or maybe even love? It could be those things but it could also be much more. I wanted to research tattoos because they are a piece of art that not everyone agrees with. After this paper is done I want people that have disagreed with tattoos to learn more and possibly change their opinion. Today more and
Even though tattoos are becoming part of culture and socially acceptable, the negative and prejudiced attitudes towards those with body art are still present. Not all tattoos are gang related, and one must note that they have historically been a symbol of someone’s culture or religion. Other tattoos may have just a personal meaning to its owner and was not intended to be offensive. People also do not understand that a tattoo may impede them from pursuing a professional career, regardless of their qualifications. Employers realize that the need to recruit workers from different backgrounds are important in such a competitive workforce, so they provide accommodation by having reasonable dress code policies.
Today, tattooing is the sixth-fastest-growing retail business in the United States, and the single fastest growing demographic group seeking a tattoo is middle-class suburban women (Cartoon, 2016). To put it plainly, the specialty of tattooing no more just engages insubordinate "social freaks." Rather, you are general as prone to discover a Fortune 500 executive, Doctor, Governor and Attorney are wearing a tattoo as a punk rocker.
Tattoos and body modifications have been around for many generations. They first began in 3370 BC and were used by Europeans and Egyptians. Both tattoos and body modifications are defined as a cultural representation of self-expression and sometimes even religion. In the article “Tattoos and Piercing: Issues of Body Modification and the Workplace,” Dr. Elzweig states, “Although tattooing is not a new phenomenon, the number of people who have tattoos has increased significantly and continues to rise. Life magazine estimated in 1936 that only 10% of me American population was tattooed in whole or in part (One out of ten Americans is tattooed, 1936)” (Elweig, Peeples).
Art is a creative way of expressing/applying skill and imagination; All throughout the years, many have expressed their ideas through the many branches of this creativity. Medieval art covered a vast scope of time and place; over 1000 years of art in Europe, and at times, the Middles East and North Africa. Medieval art included major art movements and artists ranked humans in order of social importance based on religious ideology. Initially, early Medieval Art was restricted to the production of Pietistic painting in churches. Artwork, at the time, mainly consisted of architecture, precious metals, oil portraits, ivory/wood carvings, pottery, and more. In addition, there were many types of medieval art that spanned across this 1000 year period. Anglo Saxon Art, Byzantine Art, Carolingian Art, Gothic Art, early Christian Art, and many others were all types of art that proposed during this era. Medieval artwork demonstrated hierarchy by drawing humans sized according to social status rather than true proportions. They considered nature and landscapes trivial, as people of the time
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.
Tattoos and Their Cultural Relevance For as long as there have been people, there have been methods of distinction amongst them. Throughout the years, we have discovered ways in which to express our beliefs, our ideals, and our passions. Tattooing has been one of the forefront methods in expressing our humanity, or in certain cases, our lack thereof. For so many, they have taken on many different representations, each with an equal level of significance.
Art has many styles, shapes, forms, and meanings. The way people perceive art is very different from one another. Prehistoric, ancient, byzantine, and renaissance art are all different eras that produced some of the first and some of the best art. The renaissance era is the greatest era for art known to man. Even though some of the art pieces are similar, prehistoric, ancient, byzantine, and renaissance art all focused on completely different areas of work. The artists were also alive at different times in history which had an effect on their creative process.
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.
Further reinforcing in the minds of the public the early link between recidivism and tattoos, criminals began to prominently use ink as a way of displaying their list of misdeeds (Burgess & Clark, 2010). From this moment forward a strong societal association with abnormal or deviant behavior and those who chose to get tattoos was formed; consequently, that association would extend to define interactions with the subgroup of tattooed citizens even today within our modern, progressive society.
When suggesting that certain media outlets have increased the popularity of tattoos among younger generations, two articles, one by Alejandra Walzer and Pablo Sanjurjo and the other by Mary Kosut, have similar views but one article has more qualified information. The article “An Ironic Fad: The Commodification and Consumption of Tattoos,” by Mary Kosut, was published in 2006 and offers notable information, but “Media and Contemporary Tattoo,” written by Alejandra Walzer and Pablo Sanjurjo offers much more recent research with their article being published in 2016. Even though both articles demonstrate strong arguments for how the media
The practice of tattooing exhibits far more meaning than meets the eye. This fuels my interest in the practice of tattoos as I personally have a lot of tattoos and I have several friends who have tattoos and also practice tattooing. I am curious to understand how a person’s tattoos connect with the self and the associated perceptions of groups in society. Tattoos have a very personal nature and the meanings are widespread which motivated me to explore the intense history of body modification which was tied to my personal journey to understanding tattoos. As mentioned before, my family raised me with the idea that tattoos are unacceptable in society and linked to destructive consequences which was also a motivation into the exploration of tattoos. My awareness of tattoos kept growing as I grew up and I became more and more conscious of the complex meaning associated with tattoos. Once again, as pointed out by literature on tattoos (Atkinson 2003, Kosut 2006; Sanders and Vail 2008; Vail 1999), tattoos are acts of negotiation of identity and the management of public impressions. Our perceptions of our identity change as time go by, so does the ideas of ourselves and personal choices and orientation. Therefore, the
According to a statement made in Kirst-Ashman and Hull’s book, Generalist practice with organizations and communities, a person's irregular appearance, such as tattoos or other body modifications “turns off your clients, colleagues, and administration,” which workers then “may wish to forgo such bits of self-expression” (qtd. Williams, et al. p. 419). Tattoos do not have an affect on a businesses returning clients or any other personnel. They are growing more and more popular as forms of individuality. Rita Pyrillis quoted Daniela Schreier, a psychologist, in “Body of Work,” that body art has become more of a fashion statement and younger employees view tattoos and other body modification more as a form of self-expression (qtd. Pyrillis, para. 12). Among some of the older generations, tattoos are viewed as unprofessional and a form of rebellion, which is not the case. Even though tattoos can be viewed as unprofessional, as long as they are not offensive or gruesome they should be allowed because tattoos can send a message of individuality and not allowing them is a form of discrimination .