A Quartet of Art-Inspired Tattoos

When I asked Brian how many tattoos he had, back in October when I met him at Borders in Penn Plaza, he kind of shrugged and said "I don't even know". A great answer, in my opinion.<br /><br />Brian is an interior designer and many of his tattoos are inspired by the art he admires.<br /><br />Three of the tattoos I photographed are on his right arm. First is this red tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgY08ALJ6BJ-sOGcc0LiToHCdtZrttvXE8EG4MbWtPOcEOJwUsnbNPgjiPDrkC9pzXdgxyLlX_oHjECMOiJAhs3cyOhjlbYVHoxHHiOV8VerPzJ8yAZQYVWvgaD2fMet8fVSton9XL7U/s1600/Dada+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgY08ALJ6BJ-sOGcc0LiToHCdtZrttvXE8EG4MbWtPOcEOJwUsnbNPgjiPDrkC9pzXdgxyLlX_oHjECMOiJAhs3cyOhjlbYVHoxHHiOV8VerPzJ8yAZQYVWvgaD2fMet8fVSton9XL7U/s400/Dada+wm.jpg" width="352" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This, Brian explained, is a piece that pays homage to Dada, or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dadaism">Dadaism</a>, a cultural movement from the early 20th Century that included one segment of the arts. Brian is inspired by this movement from an artistic perspective.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On his upper arm, Brian has this Buddha image, which he says has an Andy Warhol-inspired perspective:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlZ7_8hiqqYlkCXyDN0tMlHPrlrEGISQpU9Y27OalEQEY4M5xtFOiRoj7kSvfNBgLEeVUwXT_vn4Cn-Mi7wQfsduGKIcUeZIIg3zcYGwXFsKVEzoe0gE8dela_z9cg0uRsCRr_hnBddk/s1600/Warhol+Buddha+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlZ7_8hiqqYlkCXyDN0tMlHPrlrEGISQpU9Y27OalEQEY4M5xtFOiRoj7kSvfNBgLEeVUwXT_vn4Cn-Mi7wQfsduGKIcUeZIIg3zcYGwXFsKVEzoe0gE8dela_z9cg0uRsCRr_hnBddk/s640/Warhol+Buddha+wm.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That is on the outer part of the upper arm, on the inner side is this item:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kIl7YXk4onBjlmv5RddfUC1d20nY3peZnkwqXrk4IiptKNXR5eY0xhjfyD5jZD-0QDUlZI3qgTaXZu5YXbvdXIkexrIxuvGLjhhu2XFOVFyMVRwM1Po6Et4TeOrTJeHcR6Lh8SOgu5s/s1600/Egg+Chair+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kIl7YXk4onBjlmv5RddfUC1d20nY3peZnkwqXrk4IiptKNXR5eY0xhjfyD5jZD-0QDUlZI3qgTaXZu5YXbvdXIkexrIxuvGLjhhu2XFOVFyMVRwM1Po6Et4TeOrTJeHcR6Lh8SOgu5s/s640/Egg+Chair+wm.jpg" width="406" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a take on the "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_%28chair%29">Egg Chair</a>," a piece of furniture whose style became popular in the forward-looking 1960's. The form above is more like the Scandinavian <a href="http://www.ovalia.com/eng_entre.htm">Ovalia</a> style of egg chair.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And finally, Brian showed me one of his favorite tattoos, just above his waistline:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPjrdBdbzXtrWZV6ld99ZjsuwV5ECIXxaN2cKX3IovR_kXOcoYodjFqnY11GF5ThOlee-ba4KkbHTJDMNDakvX2uCYxnHo6lGexxofAlCmFbqVRx2yFFoGa3UNclr8KS17pDNHVK92so/s1600/urinal+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPjrdBdbzXtrWZV6ld99ZjsuwV5ECIXxaN2cKX3IovR_kXOcoYodjFqnY11GF5ThOlee-ba4KkbHTJDMNDakvX2uCYxnHo6lGexxofAlCmFbqVRx2yFFoGa3UNclr8KS17pDNHVK92so/s640/urinal+wm.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As mentioned above, Brian is inspired by Dadaism, and one of the figures that became most associated with the movement was the artist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Duchamp">Marcel Duchamp</a>. This tattoo is based on his work <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountain_%28Duchamp%29">Fountain</a>, which caused quite a stir in 1917.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbcHbkmXZoMeblpqH3dOv-Wo8HTpLWrfDTWYSM92RAh334Mdl9CxQW7gUOILO353Azp2lDkj_g-J2XuzKAk1JB4szAQWTU9pWtBsihDt6RafhSHVxFgvnmOLDhBK5rengV26X7YeZcIAc/s1600/Duchamp_Fountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbcHbkmXZoMeblpqH3dOv-Wo8HTpLWrfDTWYSM92RAh334Mdl9CxQW7gUOILO353Azp2lDkj_g-J2XuzKAk1JB4szAQWTU9pWtBsihDt6RafhSHVxFgvnmOLDhBK5rengV26X7YeZcIAc/s400/Duchamp_Fountain.jpg" width="336" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These tattoos were inked by Texxx at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/">Flying Monkey Tattoo</a> in Pittsburgh.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks to Brian for sharing these cool tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!</div>

A Quartet of Art-Inspired Tattoos

When I asked Brian how many tattoos he had, back in October when I met him at Borders in Penn Plaza, he kind of shrugged and said "I do...

Read more »

Brian's Ink Speaks About Art

I met Brian in Barnes & Noble, Union Square, back in August and he shared two tattoos with us. Put your thinking caps on, folks, because Brian, who is a video artist (website <a href="http://taxiplasm.net/">here</a>), has very cerebral ink.<br /><br />First up is this tattoo, on Brian's left biceps: <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgva0MJ76DUUVSSVImYOoeg8kRC3RO8DmJEyY1IAGRAm2VQrV_xQL1SM2PbXRtcrJwbwsDbq1Cca2Jpsi0pcQbwKo9OqEM3FyZkF9qgdknJKJ7MfwzUxlJtTeJcOGQM2noJomMxXEdF/s1600/Kubin+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgva0MJ76DUUVSSVImYOoeg8kRC3RO8DmJEyY1IAGRAm2VQrV_xQL1SM2PbXRtcrJwbwsDbq1Cca2Jpsi0pcQbwKo9OqEM3FyZkF9qgdknJKJ7MfwzUxlJtTeJcOGQM2noJomMxXEdF/s640/Kubin+wm.jpg" width="398" /></a></div><br />This tattoo is based on an illustration entitled "Every Night We Are Haunted by a Dream" by the artist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Kubin">Alfred Kubin</a> (1877-1959). <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXf9RLSOAu9ZZE0HAr6bEGDCUGVQmI9aerwylCNQNALvXnhCkVQ-gPHatlNRmtSeO-M1_rOmd-WeJ1whwq8tHUUkMYTYqqGizyusUIftJYPY5ZC7iNXczR_24PFUn8x_0B6UeeU66/s400/every+night.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="340" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Jede Nacht besucht uns ein Traum (Every Night We are Haunted by a Dream)</em>, ca. 1902-03</strong><br />Pen and ink, brush, wash, and spray on paper<br />39.1 x 31.8 cm (15 3/8 x 12 1/2 in.)<br />Albertina, Vienna</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXf9RLSOAu9ZZE0HAr6bEGDCUGVQmI9aerwylCNQNALvXnhCkVQ-gPHatlNRmtSeO-M1_rOmd-WeJ1whwq8tHUUkMYTYqqGizyusUIftJYPY5ZC7iNXczR_24PFUn8x_0B6UeeU66/s1600/every+night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Brian explained that this work corresponded very closely to the publication of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freud#Major_works_by_Freud">Sigmund Freud's</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Interpretation_of_Dreams">The Interpretation of Dreams</a>, and that Kubin's illustration represents "art between the cusp of pre-surrealism/expressionism and surrealism". It speaks to Brian's understanding of the perception of dreams and art.<br /><br />Brian also had these words inscribed on his inner right forearm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4N4s_99L7jjFlQ9OrVGxLoaspw8l7RT0vUsksREGFlKfqjuNO5DqabxBFEU_U8nxLSwdPYytMBHOkZ_jw_3OlBLVLvxSKdWIZ2tbixXltVx29TA5x1AiQ5DoTnqlb3PQNn6kjG-iZ/s1600/Camus+quote+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4N4s_99L7jjFlQ9OrVGxLoaspw8l7RT0vUsksREGFlKfqjuNO5DqabxBFEU_U8nxLSwdPYytMBHOkZ_jw_3OlBLVLvxSKdWIZ2tbixXltVx29TA5x1AiQ5DoTnqlb3PQNn6kjG-iZ/s320/Camus+quote+wm.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><br />The words "Cr<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";}</style> <![endif]--><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">é</span>er Dangereusement" are the French title of a 1957 essay by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Camus">Albert Camus</a> entitled "Create Dangerously". This "essay on realism and artistic creation" likewise spoke to Brian who acknowledged that "all art is a political act". It makes perfect sense, if you think about it, in that no great work of art was ever created by the artist playing it safe. It is those who created dangerously that are remembered as trailblazers and icons in their respective fields.<br /><br />Brian had both of these tattoos done in Austin, Texas.<br /><br />Thanks to Brian for sharing his artistic ink with us here on Tattoosday!

Brian's Ink Speaks About Art

I met Brian in Barnes & Noble, Union Square, back in August and he shared two tattoos with us. Put your thinking caps on, folks, because...

Read more »