Flowers, tattoos and the European elections: A walk towards self-determination
A summery gray stretches across the city as I make my way to the polling station. Today is the European elections and I am determined to cast my vote. This election has meaning - a privilege, a chance to help shape the future, an act of self-determination.
On the corner, just before I reach the polling station, a flower store catches my eye. The blaze of color of the blossoms radiating from the vases and pots gives the morning a special magic. It's grey outside, but the flowers evoke a sense of the future, a colorful and individual future. The kind of future I would wish for. It's as if the flowers are stretching their heads into the sun and inviting me to enjoy a moment of beauty. I step inside and the scent of fresh flowers envelops me.
"Who will it be for today?" asks the florist with a smile that makes even the grayest summer day more inviting.
For whom? This question gives me pause. For my sweetheart, of course, I think at first. A bouquet of colorful flowers to make her happy. But then I realize how much these flowers touch me, that they could also be for myself. A recognition of my own journey, my own steps that I am taking.
As I choose the flowers, a song lyric by Miley Cyrus reminds me how important it is to celebrate yourself.
"I can buy myself flowers," she sings, "Write my name in the sand."
Flowers as a symbol of self-empowerment, as a sign that you are enough for yourself, that you can give yourself pleasure. While I'm choosing the flowers, I have an intuition: why only buy flowers when I can also get them tattooed? After all, a tattoo is for eternity. I imagine how cool a delicate flower tattoo would look on my arm. An eternal sign of my self-determination, just like my vote.
Perhaps a rose, I think, the classic choice for love and passion. A symbol that not only stands for love for others, but also for love in general, in life. Or a tulip, a symbol of spring and new beginnings, exactly what I want in my life. And how about a sunflower? It stands for loyalty and always shines in the direction of the sun, a perfect motif for optimism and joy.
With a bouquet of colorful flowers in my hand, I leave the store and continue on my way to the polling station. Every step now feels more conscious, carried by the message of these flowers. I think about the freedom I have to cast my own vote, without outside pressure. A freedom that many do not have. And just as I have the freedom to choose, I also have the freedom to shape my body as I wish. So why not do it with a beautiful flower?
The flower, a motif that symbolizes the delicacy and at the same time the strength that lies within each of us.
Maybe I should pay a visit to the tattoo artist straight after voting. After all, if I'm going to take my life into my own hands, why not do it twice?
Text: Julian Bachmann | Graphics: Jonas Bachmann | Studio Marco
Flowers, tattoos and the European elections: A walk towards self-determination
A summery gray stretches across the city as I make my way to the polling station. Today is the European elections and I am determined to cast my vote. This election has meaning - a privilege, a chance to help shape the future, an act of self-determination.
On the corner, just before I reach the polling station, a flower store catches my eye. The blaze of color of the blossoms radiating from the vases and pots gives the morning a special magic. It's grey outside, but the flowers evoke a sense of the future, a colorful and individual future. The kind of future I would wish for. It's as if the flowers are stretching their heads into the sun and inviting me to enjoy a moment of beauty. I step inside and the scent of fresh flowers envelops me.
"Who will it be for today?" asks the florist with a smile that makes even the grayest summer day more inviting.
For whom? This question gives me pause. For my sweetheart, of course, I think at first. A bouquet of colorful flowers to make her happy. But then I realize how much these flowers touch me, that they could also be for myself. A recognition of my own journey, my own steps that I am taking.
As I choose the flowers, a song lyric by Miley Cyrus reminds me how important it is to celebrate yourself.
"I can buy myself flowers," she sings, "Write my name in the sand."
Flowers as a symbol of self-empowerment, as a sign that you are enough for yourself, that you can give yourself pleasure. While I'm choosing the flowers, I have an intuition: why only buy flowers when I can also get them tattooed? After all, a tattoo is for eternity. I imagine how cool a delicate flower tattoo would look on my arm. An eternal sign of my self-determination, just like my vote.
Perhaps a rose, I think, the classic choice for love and passion. A symbol that not only stands for love for others, but also for love in general, in life. Or a tulip, a symbol of spring and new beginnings, exactly what I want in my life. And how about a sunflower? It stands for loyalty and always shines in the direction of the sun, a perfect motif for optimism and joy.
With a bouquet of colorful flowers in my hand, I leave the store and continue on my way to the polling station. Every step now feels more conscious, carried by the message of these flowers. I think about the freedom I have to cast my own vote, without outside pressure. A freedom that many do not have. And just as I have the freedom to choose, I also have the freedom to shape my body as I wish. So why not do it with a beautiful flower?
The flower, a motif that symbolizes the delicacy and at the same time the strength that lies within each of us.
Maybe I should pay a visit to the tattoo artist straight after voting. After all, if I'm going to take my life into my own hands, why not do it twice?
Text: Julian Bachmann | Graphics: Jonas Bachmann | Studio Marco
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
