Body as Surface

After reading about the idea of body as surface, I feel that my mind has been opened as to what "body as surface" could mean. I had not considered a traditional tattoo under the category of art using body as surface. However, now that I have read about the uses throughout history of the body in art, a tattoo is the most obvious uses of the body as surface. Whether or not one recognizes this, a tattoo is a form of self-expression, often designed by the person getting the tattoo. It is interesting to consider how the meaning of the tattoo could change depending on who created it. If you designed/created the tattoo, you are wearing your own art. However, if someone else designed/created the tattoo, you are actually wearing (often for the rest of your life) their artwork, their expression. A tattoo is not limited to expression for an individual. Often the marks and symbols people wear represent their belonging to a group or culture. It does not set them apart from all other individuals in the world but rather associates them with specific individuals. These markings could range from temporary painted elements for spiritual or religious purposes to a permanent tattoo that represents membership in a gang.

There are countless reasons an individual may choose to mark on his/her body, and I think it would be extremely interesting to study the ways in which the body has been used as a surface. Looking back, it would have made an AWESOME big idea for the conceptual art project. How interesting would it be to see a series of images showing the large variety of ways people use their bodies as a surface? There is so much meaning and importance behind these works of art because of their medium. The world is the viewer, and the art is on display for anyone whom he/she encounters.