Visual Culture

Tattoos in Visual Culture

By Cristina Pinton, posted on Dec 14, 2022

Tattoos are a powerful discussion starter for a range of identity-related topics. They spur conversation about contemporary culture, fashion, and appropriated images. They show up in the movies my students watch, are front and center in video games, and are emblems of rebellion on the faces of music icons. Tattoos also have symbolic significance akin to rites of passage and can strike some people as being ethereal and mystical in addition to being aesthetically pleasing.

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