Some people collect art pieces, and some prefer to become one. The art of tattooing has travelled far from taboo to trend across the world. Gauri D. shares unique takes on what involves in the tattoo business and its relevance in the current world.
Today, the tattoo industry has flourished well in many countries. While, western cultures have accepted tattooing as an art form, in the Indian market it remains untapped. The rise of social media has given this obscure art a new identity and even traditional cultures like India are now opening up to the idea.
Cultural and Traditional Roots of Tattoo
Tattoos made with intricate designs may seem like a new concept to many, however, there are stories of similar body art in Indian history. Many Indian tribes have used oil of the aptly named ‘Marking Nut’ to print designs, signs, and symbols on their skin. These patterns often represented their cultural roots, dedication to a deity, or an identity of self. Modern tattoo art is a reflection of all these emotions as more. The oldest recorded tattoo is from 3300 BCE.
Tattoo and Beauty
Although pop culture has made tattoos emo or punk, the beauty industry has found sophisticated applications for them. Eyebrow tattooing is one of the classic examples. Tattooed eyebrows look elegant and very real. The demand for eyebrow tattoos is ever-growing in the beauty industry.
The simple reason is that with eyebrow tattoos, retouching once a few years is all it takes to maintain a beautiful brow line. Some enthusiasts go as far as tattooing permanent makeup to have a fresh look at all times with minimal effort. Hollywood heartthrob Angelina Jolie and rockstar Rihanna sport bold and elegant tattoo brows and no one is the wiser.
Skull and face tattooing has caught on in European countries like wildfire, however, in the Indian market there is a lack of awareness. There is growing acceptance in society among the masses, owing to the Internet, however, the market largely remains open to new artists. It won’t be long before the Indian beauty industry jumps onto the tattoo bandwagon and the rest shall be history.
Growing Community
Many conventions and tattoo festivals are hosted all across the UK and US in celebration of this beautiful art. Recently, over 100 artists from the US gathered together at the annual Artist Gathering Tattoo Convention and Music Festival in LaCrosse. It was a forum to showcase talent, get in friendly competition, and share a jolly good time as a community. These artists understand the true importance of tattoos for a person. As mental health and emotional well-being hang by a delicate balance, tattoos have become a way to truly express feelings for many people. One of the artists said he was glad that we are moving away from the taboo. He believed it was better to be tattooed than cut. That’s a powerful statement and must be thought more about. Indians can benefit from such conventions that bring together a community, celebrate art and expression, and spread awareness.
Want of Understanding
With tattoos sometimes comes regret. Recently, content creator Sara spoke on her youtube channel about how she has come to dislike her body art. Awareness and understanding of the depth of marking the body are important when it comes to marking the body in permanent ink. However, often the mistakes of youth may haunt adulthood and that should not be the case. India has a huge tattoo removal market as the taboo and regrets have driven people to opt for laser removals. Japan is the world’s second preferred destination to get tattoo removals.
It is not always regret but a want of something different that sometimes leads people to tattoo removal. Sara writes in her bio – in pursuit of a peaceful life, which is difficult to come if there are regrets about past decisions. The rise of the tattoo art industry and laser removal industry is directly proportional and can benefit a great deal if they penetrate the huge Indian market.
A UCSF neuroscientist, Christine Liu is now a tattoo artist because she found her roots in the art form. She found freedom and expression in creating designs that mean something. Tattoos are a way of self-expression, a way of fighting emotional and mental distress, and a way of memorializing important memories. Our society would do better emotionally and visually if the art of tattooing becomes mainstream. The potential is untapped but surely growing by the minute.