(Botanical) Tattoos: Art or Craft?
- Words by
- Milena Dambelli
Undoubtedly, there are vastly conflicting perspectives when it comes to tattoos, in particular, their worth as pieces of art or as a form of craftsmanship. Classically, when my older sister dated a tattoo artist for a few years my grandmother would gawk at his brightly patterned limbs and exclaim with sorrow, “Oh, they’re so lovely…if only they weren’t on your beautiful, young skin!” To her, the artistic merit was evident, the canvas, however, was a problem.
The popularity of tattoos and body art is ever increasing and becoming more socially acceptable, even to some grandmothers! Now commonly presented in art galleries and exhibitions, including those at Natural History museums worldwide, some would suggest this mainstreaming is exactly what’s responsible for the consideration of tattooing as an art form. In 2012, Craft Victoria even showcased live tattooing as an exhibition during its annual Craft Cubed festival.
But is it just an ironic fad? Fleeting in fashion but permanent in nature?
Does it have the high culture status of art, using the body as a canvas? And if not, does it become craft by default?
Or perhaps it’s the historical context that classifies it as a craft? After all, the tattoo (or the “tatau”) was an ancient Polynesian custom, practiced for over 2000 years. Likewise with the Japanese.
Craft or no craft, tattooing is no longer limited to any demographic, but all. And according to these pictures, plant enthusiasts too. So, there are a couple of questions, and here are a couple of images to contemplate them over…
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Feature Image is of Zia Flook – photographed by Hugh O’Brien
End
- Author
- Milena Dambelli is an aspiring journalist, a keen writer and a travel enthusiast. After recently graduating from Charles Sturt University (2014), she is taking the time to explore the world, it's incredible natural wonders, people and the stories they are all bursting to tell.
