Loved abroad, hated at home: the art of Japanese tattooing. During the Edo Period (1603-1867), Japan was awash in ink. In Kyushu, coal miners wore dragon tattoos as talismans to guard against the dangers of their work, while Ainu women in Hokkaido had facial tattoos to protect them from malignant spirits; Okinawan females bore tattoos on their hands as signs of beauty and maturity. Edo — modern-day Tokyo — was the birthplace of flamboyant full-body tattoos. Particularly popular among firefighters, messengers and gamblers, many of the designs were based upon ukiyo-e woodblock prints, and the two crafts were so intertwined that both woodblock artists and tattooists adopted the title hori (to carve) — a tradition that continues among irezumi masters today. “Perseverance: Japanese Tattoo Tradition in a Modern World” (janm.org/exhibits/perseverance) will run March 8-Sept. 14 at the Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles. Yokohama Tattoo Museum: horiyoshi3tattoo/horiyoshi-iii-tattoo-museum. japantimes.co.jp/community/2014/03/03/issues/loved-abroad-hated-at-home-the-art-of-japanese-tattooing/#.U39X1DleL7K
Posted on: Fri, 23 May 2014 14:27:11 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015