The
Vanishing Tattoo
 The
Vanishing Tattoo web site and documentary film series is devoted
to the amazing history, powerful rituals and extraordinary
social significance of tribal tattooing in many different
cultures around the world.
In addition to
examining and displaying tattoo designs, both ancient and modern, a
more important objective of this web site is to try and discover the
meaning behind body art - art that is inked into skin. As tattooing
increasingly enters mainstream culture, we find ourselves asking:
Are the tattoos we see on the sidewalks of Los Angeles, Paris,
Milan, Tokyo, London and New York in any way connected to the body
art still to be found in the jungles and ancient civilizations of
Southeast Asia and the South Pacific? Why have tattoos been so
important to their owners down through the ages? Why are they a
universal phenomenon?
The Vanishing
Tattoo is a celebration of the ancient art form of tattooing and
it's oldest practitioners. Yes, traditional tattooing has come under
extreme pressure, primarily from forces exerted from outside the
culture. Nevertheless, the focus of The Vanishing Tattoo is on
indigenous peoples who are wearing their traditional tattoos proudly
and without shame. Our goal is to deliver this simple message:
Despite globalization, many traditional cultures are finding a way
to hang on to the traditional arts like tattooing. We hope that
through film and this web site that we can continue to convey that
message.
In an attempt to
document the ancient tattoo practices before they vanish forever,
renowned Canadian tattoo artist Tom Lockhart, and writer and
historian of tattoo lore Vince Hemingson venture on a grueling
journey deep into the heart of Borneo’s jungle to meet the last
remaining Iban tattoo artists...
Not long ago, the Iban people of Borneo were elaborately
decorated with boldly designed tattoos depicting the story of their life
experiences. But today, among younger generations of Iban, this unique traditional art
is dying out.
In what little tattooing remains, the ancient
method of handtapping has been replaced by electric machines, and the
deeply spiritual and personal traditional designs have been
replaced by widely-adopted western images.
Duration: 49 minutes approx
Product code: EN112
Photos: E Samuelson, L Krutak, V Hemingson
View video clips of The Vanishing Tattoo DVD
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View video clips from The Vanishing Tattoo DVD
Borneo Filming
Trip Photos
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