Have tattoos lost their taboo? As wearable art becomes mainstream Mic Moroney considers the history of this very personal art form
Far from hand-needled ‘love/ hate’ knuckledusters, tattooing is a sprawling global fashion industry, fuelled by heavily decorated A-listers from hiphop to Hollywood, or TV shows like Miami Ink. Yet tattoos remain edgy. To most employers, a tat creeping over the neckline is a 2 ‘jobstopper’; while the FBI is piling resources into tat-recognition software, aiming to mine people’s politics, religion, drug preferences or worse. The media always lap up a freak show; and when, in 2015, an Alaskan court sentenced cop-shooter Jason Barnum to 22 years, the world gawped at his outlandishly emblazoned head and maniacal, black-tattooed eyeball. Even Japan, sadly linking its inspirational irezumi tradition with yakuza gangs, has launched police crackdowns. Now, Osaka tattooist Taiki Masuda is fighting back. Arguing multiple breaches of his constitutional rights, his case is headed for Japan’s Supreme Court.
Peter Murray recalls the independent spirit Edith Blake, diarist and artist and one-time occupant of Myrtle Grove, Youghal, County Cork
While working as an intern at the NPA Mike Bors gained access to a remarkable collection created by talented amatuer, Sir Robert Ball, astromoner and scientific adviser to the Commissioners of Irish Lights
Peter Pearson welcomes a new chapter in the management of Johnstown Castle, County Wexford