When I first started collecting skin art I vowed to never get one void of meaning. Getting a permanent item on one's body carries a certain gravity with it, which is why I will never understand people getting logos or tattoos that lack timelessness. Case in point: Nightmare Before Christmas. Pretty sure The Academy won't be giving Tim Burton a lifetime achievement award in 25 years for his animation portfolio, but he just might get the "Most Tattooed Wire and Clay Holiday Character From a Motion Picture" award. Aesthetic reasons are a bit different, but everyone has their reasons I guess. I am determined to keep that personal oath made years ago, but we'll see how long it lasts.What's interesting is how some have become more meaningful over time. Tattoos acquired years prior have grown deeper personal significance given the trauma or joy I've experienced in life. More pain than bliss, honestly, but it doesn't take a genius to figure that one out. Certain pieces carry abstractions, philosophies, and intricacies I never thought they would.
As we age, life experiences mold individuality. Family, friends, art, gains, losses, sexuality, education, love, hate, spirituality and all the other complexities we call 'life' inevitably shape who we become. Tattoos have the potential to do the same. They memorialize, convey spirituality, represent love gained and lost, lifestyle choices, create meaning, and, by definition, are artistic. They shape who we were, are, and will become.
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