Art, aesthetics and ethics of tattooing

Doctoral Thesis / Dissertation from the year 2018 in the subject Ethnology / Cultural Anthropology, The University of Waikato, language: English, abstract: The thesis is about the art, aesthetics and ethics of tattooing, for answering these questions: How do tattoo artists and their clients engage with and shape tattoo art and its aesthetic? And how do these tattoo artists¿ ethics influence their relationships with their clients and art? These questions are answered at Flax Roots Tattoo Studio, a tattoo business in Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand. This studio offers clients different styles of tattooing to choose from, like Moko, Traditional European, Portrait, and Traditional American.

Tattoo artists and their clients differ in ethnicity, nationality, religion, sex, occupation, age, hobbies, and so on. Anthropological research and philosophical insight provided the framework texts for my case study. The fieldwork consisted of semi-structured interviews and photographs of artists and clients. By participating in tattooing, these individuals influence the art and the aesthetic tastes of their local culture. Additionally, tattoo artists follow an ethical code that dictates how to run their business, preserve their art, and protect their clients.