I want you to meet someone. His name is Tim Steiner, or as he is more known by, ‘Tattoo Tim’. Tattoo Tim is a 35 year old man from Zurich in Switzerland, with a little more to him than just a cute nickname.
You see, the thing with Tattoo Tim is, he’s not just your average fellow. Tattoo Tim is actually the canvas for an elaborate artwork which is etched onto his back through tattooing. This artwork started in 2006 with Belgian artist Wim Delvoye designing the tattoo and funding the two year process. The two year process, teamed with two surgeries, have culminated in Tattoo Tim touring the world for three years, featuring in museums around Europe exhibiting his tattooed back. Tattoo Tim even featured in Hobart’s Mona Museum for a while, sitting quietly in a corner listening to his iPod as members of the public got to ogle his religiously and culturally inscribed back. Tattoo Tim shares attributes with many other pieces of art – including the fact that he has an owner and a value of $205,500.
I wanted to tell you a little about Tattoo Tim because he is an excellent example of how tattoos can be art. Tattoo Tim is an extreme example, but something I whole heartedly agree with – the permanent etching or piercing of the body can be a beautiful, meaningful or interesting thing. A friend once described tattoos and piercings to me as ‘body art is extending and expressing who you are to the public. For some, it’s like putting who you are on the inside on the outside, and letting the world know how you feel’.
What inspired this post was the fact that I just got two new piercings for my birthday, both deviating from my regular ear piercings and adding to a grand total of 9 piercings. My Dad had to be talked around to being okay with the new two, and my Mum was adamant she would prefer me to get a tattoo! But regardless – I added some sweet new piercings to my collection and I couldn’t be happier with my choice.
I also would like a tattoo one day. The design and location have been picked; the only missing aspect is the money! What I desire to get inscribed onto me permanently is something that means a lot to me: a representation of a band that changed my life about 6 years ago now.
I always get a lot of mixed responses when I tell people about my new piercings and my dreams of tattoos, ranging from admiration, confusion and even disgust, which is a-okay with me! Everyone has their own taste and sometimes (actually more often than not) that personal taste will clash with others. I guess I just want to remind everyone that yes, tattoos and piercings do seem extreme, but really, for some of us crazy individuals, they just represent who we are and what we enjoy in life.
But what do you think? Are tattoos and piercings tacky? Or acceptable if done tastefully? or possibly just downright awesome. Maybe it depends on the individual. Let us know!
Read more by Tegan.
Read more by Tegan.
