First Blog of the Semester!

Are you excited? I know I am. Let's begin!

I've decided to cover some more underground art forms in my first couple of blogs, so on that note...today's topic is: body modifications.

I personally have two tattoos, multiple piercings in my ears, an eyebrow ring, and a nose stud. I view these body modifications as a form of self-expression. I know many people feel the same way and believe that tattoos are also a form of art. On the flip side, there are many people who believe such things are a way of defacing the human body and are not a proper outlet for artistic ability.

Let's look at this from both sides. On the one hand, tattooists are called "artists" for a reason. Being a tattoo artist takes a lot of skill, practice, and focus. They (usually...) create beautiful, intricate images--which are called "flash art." When those images on transferred onto skin, they become "body art." The person being tattooed is a canvas, the tattooist is an artist, and the tattoo gun is the equivalent of a paintbrush (just more painful). Is it not safe to say, then, that tattoos are art?

On the other hand, tattooing is a painful process involving the permanent alteration of a person's body. Unlike a painting or drawing--which can just be torn up or thrown away--there is no easy way to get rid of a tattoo. Many people end up regretting their decision to get one--whether it's years after a rambunctious teenage decision or the day after making a rambunctious drunken decision. Because of these factors, some people insist that tattooing sh0uld not be used as a form of artistic expression.

My question to you all is this: Do you believe that tattoos should be considered art, and would you ever get one?