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 After
many months on the road...
We'll be able to draw certain
conclusions about why people got -- and still get -- tattooed. Much of ancient tattooing was related to the sensual and erotic side of life,
themes that are found in tattooing today. Many tribesmen were tattooed
with animal images. Today, animal images are the most popular theme in
many cultures, reflecting the desire of the tattooed person to become
identified with the animal spirit.
It would seem, therefore, that tattooing in the
ancient world had a lot in common with modern tattooing, and that
tattooing the world over has profound and universal psychic origins.
The Vanishing
Tattoo is a window into the modern tattoo -- why, as an art form, it's
mushrooming, and why we're submitting to the needle in the millions. For
protection, yes. And for many more reasons, including, perhaps, a
security blanket for our troubled times. Take your pick. One thing should be clear, however. Tattoos
empower the wearer. In times like these when it feels like we're
caught in the slipstream of a culture that's cannon-balling nowhere,
the ability to alter our own bodies seems like a bold and authentic
action.
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