My back was tattooed by Curly at Into You (London) in 1997.
What you see in black is actually the negative space of the image that I brought with me to
the tattoo studio on the day I had the outline done. The recommendation to
ink the negative, rather than the positive spaces was made by Curly and the
other artists at Into You. I was initially reluctant to change my carefully
planned design, but I quickly understood that doing so would improve both
the visual impact and the longevity of the tattoo; it was sound advice. The
image originally came from a square shaped Celtic knot work. I first saw it
as a butterfly shaped adaptation on a tile made by my friend
Martin Smith. I further developed the image from the tile
through photocopied enlargements, Martin's skilled assistance with Adobe
Photoshop and his patience in measuring and fitting it to my back plus the
many hours that I spent painstakingly re-drawing the whole thing. Only by
working on the many details by hand did the image really come together and
become uniquely mine. Martin still deserves a lot of credit for the design
and, of course, and credit for excellence in execution goes to Curly.
Upon first sight of this image I was immediately struck by the many deeply
personal resonances it held for me. I knew immediately that it would go on
my back and I actually said out loud "I want that on my back. I have to
have that on my back. I will have that on my back." (more to myself than to
Martin.) It was a need, not a fancy. It is about the beauty of strength
in the female body, my body. It represents various muscles and bones of
the body. It is about the recognition and acceptance of the process of
aging, as well as it being a commitment to the pursuit of good health and
an intensely physical experience of life. I am a performer, a trapeze
artist, a dancer, a circus-theatre artist. My tattoos are a form of
contract with myself to pursue my needs and interests in life and work.
They are better described as parts of me rather than as things on me. As
totems they have worked for me when I have needed them as reminders not to
lose sight of my passions and to be active in creating opportunities for
myself.emily! |
India 1982
