There was once a generation who changed everything and its name was lost in time. Men and women were wiped from historical records, and whose memories rests in anonymity. They were brazen, unreasonable, and rebellious. Their craft forced them into isolation, and despite the onslaught of judgments and false accusations from a conservative society, they managed to endure.
During the worst of times, when everything ceased to have meaning, they built a community, a family. The art of covering their bodies never stopped, on the contrary, for every blow and insult received, strength was gained and each scar earned itself a place. Soon their canvas was covered by designs whose stories were only shared to a few who could appreciate the beauty of those marks.
A new artist emerged, one with a talent for painting on difficult surfaces: filled with irregularities, imperfections, and bound to rot. Mortal and subjected to unrelenting time, the human body became the perfect canvas. It is precisely this ephemeral quality that endows them with a condemned beauty, which elevates their esthetic value even more. Those canvases, destined to perish and withstand judgmental looks, have become untouchable, and their artists, forgotten, have become specters haunting the streets. As valises were emptied of sepia photographs, we were finally able to summon these forgotten artists, and their unflinching gazes and detailed canvases would inspire future rebels.
We pay homage those who defied beauty standards and the golden rules of good living were left forgotten in the streets.
They rightfully deserve recognition and to honor their work we share some of the best vintage tattoos:
Getting a tattoo doesn’t mean having to conceal them from others. Carry them with pride.
Each tattoo tells a story, a life event that earned a space in your body.
Society must overcome prejudices, tattoos are beautiful marks on a body, not designs that solely belong to the criminal underbelly.
Tattoos are works of art that complement the beauty and wonder of the human body.
Stop focusing on what others will think of your tattoos.
Understand before judging.
Tattoos can give you some ideas about someone’s personality and story, but this will never compare to the experience of breaking the ice and getting to know what lies inside a human being.
Be respectful if someone prefers not to share the story behind their tattoos.
Tattoo artists are technique masters, whose discipline is on the way to be acknowledged.
Forget about beauty standards, open your mind, let yourself get carried away by the colors and designs.
Find the value of things before criticizing them.
No, aging won’t make those tattoos look bad.
Remember, beauty is in the details.
If you don’t understand a lifestyle, just respect it and accept there are people different from you.
Don’t be afraid, just ask.
Translated by Andrea Valle Gracia
