Branded A Rebel (OR: How to annoy your mother feat. A “Tattoo”)
Born in 1960, my Mum's always been conservative when it comes to certain things. Tattoos are one of them. My Mum once said to my brother and I, “don't come home with any tattoos, piercings or a motorbike or else”. I've always been fascinated by the concept of a tattoo as a form personal expression but now I also see it as a symbol of rebellion. The concept of a tattoo has changed over time after all, a symbol of many different things (personal and public), sometimes a fashion statement, sometimes a religious imprint.
Now I know what you're thinking “Holy S***, she didn't go get a tattoo for an art assessment right?” No, though it's not been stricken as an idea for a work later.
I decided to sort of test my Mum, and myself and drew in ink a design I've thought about actually having tattooed (because of its meaning to me). It's a visual symbol of/reference to Star Trek and the made up culture Vulcan's ideology of Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations (I.D.I.C.) which in itself is a base ideological concept in the real world that many have rebelled against their governments/religion in order to have it recognised. A tattoo has a permanence to it and that in turn transfers to the ideology and the desire to have it become permanent as well.
My Mother, when I told her about my assessment said that she had been looking at my wrist and thinking“She ******* did what?” but then thought “No she knows, I told her” and just laughed about it. Now one of her rules was no piercings and I have both my ears pierced (once only on each ear, but hey still piercings). Maybe she'll change her mind, but until then it'll be a personal rebellious “desire” of mine to get this tattoo.
Thinking of curation as a focus in this assessment, I decided to frame some of the pictures of my “tattoo” much like popular rebellion posters- a fist raised holding a flower, etc. and added a “tattooed” flower to my hand, drawing from my original poster in assessment 1, and that appropriated aspect/concept. I took this generic symbol and made it personal as an example of my own rebellious ideals and in that representation of a rebellious movement for equality that continues even today.
Like any assessment (and life really), you come across barriers.
I value my moral beliefs, one of which is equality, another respect. I value and respect art and my own art-making process. This work is a combination of these values. Whether others would value this work more if I had actually tattooed the symbol, I'm not sure, but maybe they can value the desire for something to be valued. I'd like to ask this question to anyone: Do you value anything enough to permanently imprint a symbol or representation of it onto your body? And if so, what barriers do you face in going that extra mile. Mine is the possible loss of mutual respect I share with my mother, and then is that worth it for this symbol of an ideology I so highly value? For now, no; with time maybe her mind will change, but until then it remains that I must draw with removable pen upon my wrist rather than ink with permanence this dream, as it is not a dead sentiment while I still so desire it.
Once past moral barriers, my biggest one became my materials. For one, the first things I tried (body paints) could not properly imitate a tattoo as they would run and were too translucent. Textas and markers bleed slightly but provided a sharper colour. In the finished work I began to admire the depth of meaning the bleeding provided, the “smeared” interpretations/assumptions many have of tattoos, and the lack of permanence of this one. The material cannot match the concept as it is not permanent and therefore only an illusion of rebellion in the end. I accept this and have come to the conclusion that while the material is not a permanent rebellion, the idea is, as well as the photographed work produced. This work is a representation of a desired rebellion, that will change over time, and maybe even one day become an active rebellion imprinted upon my skin. For now it is an illusive imitation to a deeper and more personal work.
It may seem a small idea in the end, a tattoo, lines and shapes; but it's the idea of a tattoo, the meaning of that idea and then the action of getting it or not getting it that has its own meaning as well. It's personal, it's subjective and it's filled with many different connotations. Tattoos are still considered rebellious by many, and I personally consider them some of the most permanent and personal forms of artwork.
Random Thoughts: Is a tattoo graffiti if our bodies are temples? Getting a tattoo would be a big personal rebellion for me, would it be for you? Do you already have one?
More rebellious questions come hither.
It's the symbol, the meaning and the actions and perceptions (of others and myself) combined with the photographic form that make this work; I personally am more visually stimulated by the monochromatic photo rather than the tinted one, but I decided to include both, as they show different views of the fist/tattoo which adds different visual aspects.
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