Prototype for Erika's tattoo

Erikas existing tattoo is a cherry blossom with a magpie bird on it, it is in a Japanese style inspired from an actual woodblock print. She wanted something representing photography and the origin of motion photography because she is a photographer as well, so we looked on the library of congress website at old zoetrope illustrations inspired by Eadweard Muybridge.

Designing a Tattoo

The image for designing a tattoo for a client

Maori

The most interesting part of the Maori culture for me is the quote at the end of the reading, when they talk about a Maori saying "You may be robbed of all of your most prized possessions; but of your moko you can not be deprived" This is triking to me because it is the pinnacle of body art having a deep rooted meaning, that markings can be so entwined into your history that they represent your very soul and man or womanhood. When women were asked why they have their markings they simply reply "because it is the Maori way".


Tahitian root tatau (to inflict wounds)

How I view me, How Others view me.

I feel like this photograph shows both sides of how other people view me and how i view myself. Right now i am doing portraiture in my studio practice and for my thesis project. I feel like others don't see me as a very modified or decorated body, and i also hide that part of myself, only showing that side of myself to a select few, since my tattoo is on my ribs.

Mapping the Body

The newest modification to my body:



The decision to get a tattoo was just this year, but i have had many small accidents and modifications through out childhood and my teenage years that prove i am quite clumsy.

Rock Climbing in High school:


A Mosh Pit this past summer (2009) ...not wearing shoes.


I have fallen more times then i can count, i used to trail run and cross country run in high school, its not visible in this picture but there are small scars and discolorations in my knees:


And my ears were pierced in middle school, my mom finally let me and i was finally mature enough to take care of healing them:

Body Painting

Man Makeup

I found that it was really strange that Korean women are taught how to wear makeup i high school, it seems like such a personal thing that is usually between a mom and her daughter. It is also surprising to me that men wear makeup at all, at least not straight men. I know that it is a generalization but the men that i gre up around were always very traditional in their "manly activities" and jobs. My dad and other men in my family wouldnt think twice to wear makeup or enhance their "beauty" in any way, other then shaving and getting a haircut. But i do have male friends that work at makeup stores such as MAC and they can pull off eyeliner and makeup better then i can usually.




Jennifer Moore

I think that the idea for painting tyour body to represent a new stage in your life, a new readiness and way to represent that is very interesting as well as transformative tattoos for scars and operations are a very helpful and physical way to mentally heal from some kind of trauma. Also Moores love for Art Nouveau tattoos is something i share as well.


Peking Opera Make-up of China

I think that the colors used to represent what a demon is and what a hero or good person is is interesting, the blue and green signify demons and the red and black colors signify heros, this just shows the differences in meanings of colors and markings in cultures. But it is interesting to see how theatrical makeup is worn for other cultures plays and representations for gods and goddesses.

Response to Arnold Rubin & Enid Schildkrout

Marks of Civilization

Nearly every culture in history has manipulated the body to represent their way of life and to enhance certain aspects of what is attractive in their culture. They have also used the same kinds of modification such as tattooing, piercing, scarification and body painting as a way of punishment, signs of fertility and sexual lure, manhood, war, and many many more reasons. Rubin is stating that these generalizations are arbitrary and superficial, so he gathered a series of case studies on specific ideas and examples in certain cultures.

The tattoo styles that i looked into and thought were the most interesting of the cultures that were mentioned in this reading were the Polynesian and Japanese traditional styles.



Inscribing the Body


I found that talking about the body as a canvas was a great way to view why cultures modify and decorate their body. The section of this reading that i found the most interesting was The Ambivalence of Inscribed Skin, it talks about before the civil war when slaves would be inscribed with marks from their owners and the scars from beatings and accidents. Usually tattooing is seen as an intentional action, but for some points in history and in other cultures it is viewed as a punishment, a constant physical reminder to break down a person's humanity. The same with Nazi concentration camp markings and the same for slave owners in Roman and Greek history.