One thing is clear in summer heat and inevitable bare flesh: the extent to which body art has become the norm. You'll find a wide range of designs on the skin at the pool, park, and pub beer garden. It all represents the breadth of human creativity.Around 20% of adult UK residents have at least one tattoo. This proportion is expected to increase. Some might claim that tattoos are a passing fad and that they have an aesthetic appeal. They might appear to be a temporary impulse to follow a trend that is then followed by years of regret rather than something with deep meaning.Professor Viren Swami of Anglia Ruskin University, who studies body images, believes that such superficial explanations are unlikely. He says that tattoos are permanent and can be reinterpreted as fashion accessories because of the amount of planning and pain involved.He believes it is more fascinating to look at the different ways people use body art to achieve self-realization. These artistic endeavors are expressions of body ownership and identity. Many people are finding tattoos a great way to mark a loss and keep the deceased close.Tattooing, like all art forms, should be understood within its cultural and historical context. Since time immemorial, our ancestors have recognized the skin as a canvas. The oldest evidence of body art is from tzi. It's a 5,300-year-old body that was frozen in a glacier in Bolzano, Italy until two hikers discovered it in 1991. His left wrist, lower legs and torso were covered in 61 geometric tattoos. Human remains from Egypt and Chile have also revealed ancient body art that dates back at least 3,000 year ago.Prehistoric man known by tzi who had 62 tattoos on his body. Photograph by Werner Nosko/ReutersPsychologists believe tattooing may have evolved because of its widespread popularity. One theory suggests that tattooing would have required a strong immune system to survive infection. If you do, it could indicate that your genes are good enough to pass on to your children. It was a fitness signal that made you more attractive to potential partners. Swami is not convinced by this theory. He says that it's easier to see tattooing from a cultural and social perspective than from an evolutionary one. It is how we use body art in a specific context that matters, and not the content.The tattoo of the dragon kingThere is a lot of history behind body art in Britain. Records show that tattoos were done on native Britons during Caesar's invasion. The practice was so common that Britain's name is likely to have been derived from the Celtic word pretani which could refer to tattooed people or painted ones.Swami says that tattoos became more popular after Captain Cook's expedition to the Pacific. He explained that sailors returned from the Pacific with inked designs. He adds that tattooing became popular in England after the invention of the electric tattooing machine in late 19th century. The tattoos were more about expressing one's worldliness, and the upper classes had tattoos of red and blue dragons. However, tattooing lost some of its appeal over the 20th century. Tattooing became associated with aggression and rebellion due to its popularity in the punk movement, gang culture, and its eventual return to mainstream.Greentea Peng, a musician, has many tattoos that include a symbol for the throat chakra to remind her to sing. Photograph by Suki Dhanda/The ObserverSwami admits that it is tempting to connect this movement with celebrities like Angelina Jolie or David Beckham in the late 1990s and early 2000s. But Swami believes the trend can reveal something deeper about our changing attitudes towards the human body. He argues that modern culture has been extremely prescriptive in dictating what our bodies can do, from our societal attitudes about weight and fitness to our sexuality or gender expressions. He believes tattoos have allowed people to claim ownership of their bodies and show that they are in control. He says tattooing can be interpreted in different ways by different people. However, I believe this notion of agency is very important. It allows us to mark our bodies and say "This is meaningful to me."Swami has conducted a series studies over the past decade comparing tattoo-wearing people to their personalities. He did discover some signs that confirmed the old stereotypes. People with tattoos were slightly more impulsive and angrier than those without, but these differences were small. He says they are not statistically significant. Today, tattooed people are almost identical to those without tattoos.Swami conducted one of his most fascinating studies. He examined the bodies of people before and after getting tattoos. Swami found that participants felt less anxious about their appearance and had less bodily dissatisfaction after they were inked. The effect on self-esteem was evident three weeks later. This suggests that it wasn't just a result of the participants' excitement, but also that the changes may have been permanent. Swami says you can see the progression here. You will feel closer to your body once you have your tattoo.Dr Joseph Pierre is a UCLA clinical professor in health sciences. He believes that tattoos are becoming more popular because of the decline in western puritanism. He says that public showing more skin is becoming accepted. This applies to both men and women, who are now allowed to show their naked chests or wear sports bras. Tattoos are a great way to show the world what was previously hidden.Pierre, like Swami believes tattoos have a personal appeal that goes beyond their aesthetic value. He describes tattoos as "windows to the soul." He says tattoos often tell a story that can't be expressed in words. He advises his fellow psychotherapists to talk about body art in order to open up discussions about other important life events or issues.These assertions seem to be in line with Mowgli's experiences as a tattoo artist, owner of Through My Third Eye studio, north London. He has attracted over 150,000 Instagram fans with his futuristic, intricate creations.Mowgli's tattoo Photograph: @mowgli_artist/InstagramMowgli explains how each piece begins with an hour-long conversation between the client and him, during which they discuss the ideas they want to express. Mowgli states that your body is the most sacred thing you have. Mowgli wants to ensure that the inspiration for tattoos comes from a place that is authentic and meaningful to the individual. He believes that tattoos will be a symbol of a person's life experiences and the strength they have gained from them. This includes grief and bereavement. In some studios, it is possible to request that the ink be mixed with someone's ashes. Mowgli says that the focus is often positive and not macabre. These feelings can then be expressed through designs that incorporate mathematics and science, which are larger than the physical world.Professor Susan Cadell, an expert in post-traumatic growth at University of Waterloo, Ontario, believes that memorial tattoos do not represent death. She has interviewed many people about tattoos and their use in grieving. They are a way to express the bond between people and how they have been influenced by them.She describes a couple who lost their son in an accident. The parents had been very critical of their son's decision to get a tattoo. However, their son died in a car accident. Another interviewee chose the tomato plant design to represent all their time together gardening. Others have chosen to memorialize a loved one's passing by using a copy of the person's fingerprints or writing a message in the person's handwriting.Sutherland Macdonald's work, who was the first professional tattooist to open a tattoo shop in Britain in 1894. Photograph: National Maritime Museum Cornwall / The National ArchivesOne example of how body art can help with trauma recovery is the memorial tattoos. Swami is interested in how body art can be used to help victims of domestic abuse. He says it is a way to reclaim your body. The University of Washington recently conducted a study that examined how survivor tattoos could aid in the emotional recovery of cancer patients who are currently in remission. As a way to mark their journey through the Covid-19 crisis, and (alleged) return back to normal life, a growing number of people are investing in pandemic tattoos.There are almost as many reasons to get body art than there are for tattoos. Tattoos can be used to express your identity, celebrate personal growth, share your feelings about parenthood, or simply show you care. They are a great way to express yourself digitally, and social media allows you to easily erase or write new memories. The beauty of body art is an investment that cannot be made in any other form of expression.Mowgli says that studios have become more creative to meet clients' needs. He says, "The art is the main focus."Swami believes that tattoo stigma is decreasing in the US and UK. However, it still persists in the workplace. He says that he knows of companies asking their employees to cover tattoos. There are many makeup products that can be used to hide tattoos.This is unfortunate, considering the many reasons people have for tattoos, and the stories they can tell, as well as the moments they can symbolize. We need to recognize that tattoos are not always skin deep.
