Eleven years ago I got my first--then illegal--tattoo in NYC as a law student. I'd like to say that was the precise moment tattoos became mainstream; however, I'm not sure if that act could compete with today's tattoo obsession. Flooding the US media are battling tattoo reality shows, Britney's body art blunders, and laser removal tips. Often what gets left out of the hype is the art.
That's why Needled.com was created, to draw attention to the artistry of tattoos as well as the work of tattooists on canvas, on walls, in clay, and in words. It also looks at developments in law, culture, and politics affecting tattoo art without insulting anyone's intelligence. Needled's publisher, Josh Rubin, asked me to go beyond the how to choose a tattoo tune of popular media, but also not take a cooler-than-thou tone by speaking only to those in the scene. The result is a daily log on the fine art and culture of tattoos for the masses. Viva La Revolution!
susannah_breslin
I'm lost
June 2005
JUL 26, 2005 03:08 PM