COLUMN - by Dirk-Boris Rödel
Tattoos have various functions; they decorate, can stand for individuality or also for belonging, and they are also a means of communication.
This last point in particular, communication, is often not considered by tattoo fans, or not considered enough.
Anyone who gets a tattoo automatically says something about themselves. Anyone who has the Iron Maiden mascot Eddie tattooed is obviously into heavy metal, anyone who has a Totoro on their skin loves Japanese anime films, and some people use tattoos of scissors, hammers or pretzels to show that they are hairdressers, blacksmiths or bakers by trade.
Even clearer, of course, are tattoos with lettering that specifically indicate that "La Familia" or "Respect" is particularly important to the wearer or which life motto accompanies them.
And of course these tattooed messages can be read by anyone who sees these tattoos, no matter who, when or on what occasion.
So far, so good; whether you really need to urgently tell everyone you sit next to on the subway or stand in front of in the queue at the ice cream parlor what music you listen to or what movies you like is up for debate, but it's not usually a problematic or controversial message you're sending out.
However, some people also have more intimate and delicate preferences and inclinations tattooed, which may not always be visible to everyone. Such tattoos can often be found on parts of the body that are covered by clothing in everyday life. After all, whether you are into BDSM or belong to a Satanist sect may not be obvious to everyone next to whom you are waiting for your Whopper at Burger King.
But although such tattoos are usually covered by clothing in everyday life, in quite a few situations they are not. And when choosing 1. the tattoo motif and 2. the body part, it may be advantageous to think about how many situations in which you stand completely or partially unclothed in front of strangers. After all, it is by no means the case that only your partner will see you unclothed.
It starts with a visit to the outdoor pool, because swimming trunks and bikinis do not cover too much skin; is everything that is not intended for other people's eyes still covered? Sauna enthusiasts should also consider whether they are comfortable with certain images being visible to everyone in the sauna.
And is it okay for you to present these pictures, which inevitably reveal a lot about you, to the dermatologist at the skin cancer screening, the doctor's assistant who positions you in front of the X-ray machine or the surgeon who has you on the operating table?
And what if you later have children with whom you sit in the bathtub and then have to explain what the gag ball or the plug you had pierced in your youthful recklessness is all about...?
Don't get me wrong; go ahead and get whatever tattoo you want. But it certainly can't hurt to think through various situations in advance in which you might feel uncomfortable if others see certain motifs and statements you make about yourself!
Text: Dirk-Boris Rödel
Graphic: Jonas Bachmann
COLUMN - by Dirk-Boris Rödel
Tattoos have various functions; they decorate, can stand for individuality or also for belonging, and they are also a means of communication.
This last point in particular, communication, is often not considered by tattoo fans, or not considered enough.
Anyone who gets a tattoo automatically says something about themselves. Anyone who has the Iron Maiden mascot Eddie tattooed is obviously into heavy metal, anyone who has a Totoro on their skin loves Japanese anime films, and some people use tattoos of scissors, hammers or pretzels to show that they are hairdressers, blacksmiths or bakers by trade.
Even clearer, of course, are tattoos with lettering that specifically indicate that "La Familia" or "Respect" is particularly important to the wearer or which life motto accompanies them.
And of course these tattooed messages can be read by anyone who sees these tattoos, no matter who, when or on what occasion.
So far, so good; whether you really need to urgently tell everyone you sit next to on the subway or stand in front of in the queue at the ice cream parlor what music you listen to or what movies you like is up for debate, but it's not usually a problematic or controversial message you're sending out.
However, some people also have more intimate and delicate preferences and inclinations tattooed, which may not always be visible to everyone. Such tattoos can often be found on parts of the body that are covered by clothing in everyday life. After all, whether you are into BDSM or belong to a Satanist sect may not be obvious to everyone next to whom you are waiting for your Whopper at Burger King.
But although such tattoos are usually covered by clothing in everyday life, in quite a few situations they are not. And when choosing 1. the tattoo motif and 2. the body part, it may be advantageous to think about how many situations in which you stand completely or partially unclothed in front of strangers. After all, it is by no means the case that only your partner will see you unclothed.
It starts with a visit to the outdoor pool, because swimming trunks and bikinis do not cover too much skin; is everything that is not intended for other people's eyes still covered? Sauna enthusiasts should also consider whether they are comfortable with certain images being visible to everyone in the sauna.
And is it okay for you to present these pictures, which inevitably reveal a lot about you, to the dermatologist at the skin cancer screening, the doctor's assistant who positions you in front of the X-ray machine or the surgeon who has you on the operating table?
And what if you later have children with whom you sit in the bathtub and then have to explain what the gag ball or the plug you had pierced in your youthful recklessness is all about...?
Don't get me wrong; go ahead and get whatever tattoo you want. But it certainly can't hurt to think through various situations in advance in which you might feel uncomfortable if others see certain motifs and statements you make about yourself!
Text: Dirk-Boris Rödel
Graphic: Jonas Bachmann
30.06.-02.07. Summer Tattoo Festival No.8
05.08.-06.08. Garda Tattoo Event
18.08.-20.08. Tunjo Tattoo Fest
15.09.-17.09. Millennium Tattoo Show No.6
15.09.-17.09. Cagliari Tattoo Convention No.13
22.09.-24-09. Bergamo Tattoo Expo
22.09.-24-09. Torino Tattoo Convention No.12
29.09.- 01.10. Urban Land Tattoo Expo Roma
29.09.-01.10. Mima Tattoo Convention No.5
13.10.-15.10. Genova Tattoo Convention No.16
14.10.-15.10. Roma Tattoo Expo No.23
20.10.-22-10. Ferrara Tattoo Convention No.5
27.10.-29.10. Passion Art Tattoo Convention Bolzano No.16
04.11.-05.11. Chiuduno Tattoo Weekend
10.11.-12.11. Ancona Tattoo Expo No.2
10.11.-12.11. Palermo Tattoo Convention No.9
11.11.-12.11. Trieste International Tattoo Expo No.14
11.11.-12.11. Catania Tattoo Convention No.5
01.12.-03.12. Florence Tattoo Convention No.13
08.12.-10.12. East Coast Tattoo Convention No.17
16.06.-18.06. Anime Tattoo Expo, Fire de Barcelona
30.06.-02.07.23 Asturias Tattoo Expo No.8
08.09.-10.09. Ibiza Tattoo Convention No.4
15.09.-17.09. Gaia Tattoo Expo No.3
06.10.-08.10. Barcelona Tattoo Expo No.26
27.10.-29.10. Alicante Tattoo Convention No.5
03.11.-05.11. Pamplona Tattoo Expo No.5
08.07.-09.07 . Bristol Tattoo Convention
22.07.-23.07 . Ink And Oil Tattoo Convention
29.07.-30.07. Great Western Tattoo Show
19.08.-20.08. Cornwall’s Tattoo Convention
19.08.-20.08. Tatcon Blackpool
26.08.-27.08. Big London Tattoo Show
16.09.-17.09. Buckley Ink Tattoo Convention
23.09.-24.09. Sheffield Tattoo Festival
30.09.-01.10. Tattoo Trojans Doncaster Tattoo Convention
07.10.-08.10. Locked up Tattoo Convention
14.10.-15.10. Halloween Tattoo Bash
11.11.-12.11. Wrexham Tattoo Show
02.09.-03.09. Tattoonika
14.10.-15.10. Wildstyle & Tattoo Messe Kapfenburg
21.10.-22.10. Wildstyle & Tattoo Messe Linz
28.10.-29.10. Wildstyle & Tattoo Messe Salzburg
01.09.-03.09. Lugano TI – Tattoo Convention No.24
16.06.-18.06. Epinal Tattoo Show
17.06.-18.06. Asian Festival Tattoo Show
01.07.-02.07. Caen Tattoo Show
08.07.-09.07. Rock Tattoo Spirit
15.07.-16.07. Sermaize Tattoo Convention
19.08.-20.08. Deauvile Tattoo Festival
01.09.-03.09. Montauban Tattoo Show
01.09.-03.09. Ink’n’Roll Chateauroux Tattoo Festival
02.09.-03.09. The 70’s Tattoo Show
09.09.-10.09. Jura Ink Park
09.09.-10.09. Dentelle Ink Alençon
09.09.-10.09. Champagne Tattoo Event
09.09.-10.09. Limoges Tattoo Show
15.09.-17.09. Univers Tattoo Convention
16.09.-17.09. Circus Tattoo Show
16.09.-17.09. Kustom Festival & Tattoo
16.09.-17.09. Perpignan Tattoo Convention
22.09.-24.09. Nantes Tattoo Convention
23.09.-24.09. Isere Tattoo Show
23.09.-24.09. Girl Ink Tattoo Show
30.09.-01.10. Perigueux Tattoo Expo
30.09.-01.10. La Maison d’Encre
07.10.-08.10. Convention Tatouage de Bourges
14.10.-15.10. Poitiers Tattoo Convention
13.10.-15.10. Chalons en Champagne Tattoo Show
20.10.-22.10. Evian Tattoo Show
21.10.-22.10. Biarritz Tattoo Fest
21.10.-22.10. Fabulous Tiki Weekend
21.10.-22.10. Bourg-en-Bresse Tattoo Convention
21.10.-22.10. The Team Miss P’ink Tattoo
28.10.-29.10. Cahors Tattoo & Geek
03.11.-05.11. Sugar Ink Tattoo Convention
11.11.-12.11. Love Tattoo Festival
18.11.-20.11. Potopistons Tattoo Convention
18.11.-19.11. Salon du Tatouage Clermont
25.11.-26.11. Troyes Tattoo Convention
01.12.-03.12. Merry Christmas Tattoo Show
02.12.-03.12. Nohell Tattoo Show
02.12.-03.12. Tarn Tattoo Convention
22.09.-24.09. Hans Christian Andersen Tattoo Convention No.6
27.10.-29.10. Nordic Ink Festival No.12
16.09.-17.09. Bulgaria Tattoo Expo VIII
25.08.-27-08. INKJUNX
02.09.-03.09. Craboutcha Tattoo Festival
02.09.-03.09. Tox Cit’Ink No.10
23.09.-24.09. Brügge Tattoo Convention No.2
07.10.-08.10. Skin Art Expo No.14
14.10.-15-10. Mons Tattoo Convention No.5
28.10.-29.10. Hasselt Tattoo Convention No.2
28.10.-29.10. Kempen Tattoo Convention No.3
10.11.-12.11. Brüssel Tattoo Convention No.13
16.09.-17.09. Haná Tattoo Expo No.5
18.11. Pardubice Tattoo Event No.8
28.07.-30.07. Maiden City Tattoo Convention No.11
29.09.-01.10. Dublin Tattoo Convention No.22
21.10.-22-10. Wild Atlantic Tattoo Show
25.08.-27.08. Baltic Tattoo Convention No.5 ^
21.10.-23.10. Vianden Tattoo Convention No.23
15.07.-16.07. Ink Panthers Tattoo Convention No.2
15.09.-17.09. Amsterdam Tattoo Convention No.17
23.09.-24.09. Ink and Cutz Tattoo Convention No.6
01.07.-02.07. Warsaw Tattoo Convention No.10
02.09.-03.09. Katowice Tattoo Konwent
16.09.-17.09. Opole Tattoo Expo No.5
14.10.-15.10. Hagen Tattoo Convention
25.11.-26.11. Lodz Tattoo Konwent
05.10.-08.10. Lisbon Tattoo Rock Fest No.16
01.09.-03.09. Constanta Tattoo Convention
20.10.-22-10. Bucharest Tattoo Convention No.11
06.08.-13.08. Ink Needle Tattoo Convention
25.08.-26.08. Minicon
01.09.-03.09. Stockholm Ink Bash Tattoo Convention No.26
