Personal

Tattooing is about personalizing the body, making it a true home and fit temple for the spirit that dwells inside it.... Tattooing therefore, is a way of keeping the spiritual and material needs of my body in balance.  ~Michelle Delio

"You put a tattoo on yourself with the knowledge that this body is yours to have and enjoy while you're here. You have fun with it, and nobody else can control (supposedly) what you do with it. That's why tattooing is such a big thing in prison: it's an expression of freedom one of the only expressions of freedom there. They can lock you down, control everything, but 'I've got my mind, and I can tattoo my body alter it my way as an act of personal will.' " DON ED HARDY

"If you wish to achieve worthwhile things in your personal and career life, you must become a worthwhile person in your own self-development."
Brian Tracy

"Everyone has their own reasons for wanting a tattoo; after all we're all unique. Some of us are inspired by others, some like the idea of enhancing their body, while others simply wanted to have a visual representation of something that is important to them." -unknown

http://www.tattooartanddesign.com/personal-reasons.html

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http://74.125.155.132/scholar?q=cache:-rd10eD4HwoJ:scholar.google.com/+personal+reason+getting+tattoo&hl=en&as_sdt=80000000000000

The bolded site mainly explain's different personal reasons why people get tattooed.  It mentions tattoo artists personal reasons why they believe people get tattooed and even includes from collected interviews with people why people get tattoos.  Overall expresses different personal reasons such as to remember something (event, person, animal or etc), show something they believe in, religious or spiritual reasons, mark a milestone in their life and other reasons to.  This article covered explained all the different personal reasons that people get tattooed today.  It explained more extensively and covered more reasons then any other sites I have read.  From stand point of a tattoo artist to someone getting a tattoo.  I have taken from my own work peoples personal reasons for getting tattoos is to remember, remind, express a love or belief in something or someone, and last no reason at all but there are even reasons why people get "meaningless tattoos" and even then I am interested in why people get those. This quote from the text explains the whole article 

"In conclusion, the reasons for getting a tattoo and the meaning behind what is

visibly seen are as varied as the people involved. Whether a person gets a tattoo

“just because he likes how it looks” or because it symbolizes something for them, the

tattoo is a form of self-expression. The purpose of wearing this art on one’s body

rather than hanging it on a wall signifies a total commitment to what it stands for. It

is the most permanent form of self-expression, with no escape from it. It is

everywhere they go, they carry it with them, and it is a part of them. It is connected

to one’s mind and one’s body for their time spent here on earth, and connected to

their spirit, their inner essence forever."

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There is different reason why the term personal fits my work.  I am finding out through taking photographs why people personally get the tattoos they do and what each of their tattoos personally mean to them.  Through this process I am finding I am getting to know each subject personally through their tattoos.  Learning about peoples individual reasons for getting their tattoos has always been personal interest of mine.  There is a quote that says (rephrased) tattooing is way of personalizing the body and pleasing the spirit that dwells within.  I believe in some way shape or form has applied to all my subjects.  Through my art I want my viewers learn and see my subjects personal reasons for tattooing themselves.  I think this is a area not a lot of people (at least those that are not in the culture or do not have any tattoos) think about.  I want them see why I find it interesting through the portrait's I hope they want to read the writings from the subjects after they see the subjects image.  I want them also hopefully see why I think people use their bodies as their own personal history book of themselves.  This term is probably one of most import ones to my work.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao7ORCfibio&feature=related

video

 

Ari Marcopoulos

I choose Ari to research because he has a similar interest as me in documenting non mainstream subcultures of America.  He focuses on the subcultures of American youth while I focus/ are more interested specifically in the subcultures of people interested in different forms of body modifications (currently specifically those with tattoos and scarification).  I like how he has documented his subjects with different forms of photography over time.  I am trying to show each of my subjects photos with different forms of photography (focusing more on color then type of photography).  I believe he has just the same passion and interest in photographing and learning about his subject's as I do for mine.  That is why I choose to research him.

Ari Marcopoulos was born in 1957 and is still alive today.  He was from the Netherlands.  He came to American in 1979 and started his photography career then.  He first started in New York City assisting Andy Warhol.  After that he assisted Irving Penn.  He is empathetic to his subjects mainly snowboarders, skateboarders, artists, musicians, American youth and others.  Currently he works both in LA and NYC and he is represented by AFG Management.  He takes pictures in the studio and the streets and is most known for his snap shot portraits of his subjects.  Beastie boys have used his pictures for his albums.  He lives in Sonoma, California now with his family.   (I apologise for scattered biography each site with biography on him had different information).  Along with being a photographer he is also a filmographer.  He has come out with little more then a  handful of books with his photography. 


"His straightforward portraits and lush snapshots capture everyday moments of beauty and anxiety, becoming, as he says, “something that just stands for life lived.” -http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/2010Biennial/AriMarcopoulos

"Ari: I am interested in people and they can feel it, so they just let me do my thing…
Elisa: How does getting into the intimate lives of people help you get the right shot?
Ari: It is good when people are comfortable with you so the camera does not become an obstacle."
http://dossierjournal.com/style/fashion/dossier-in-conversation-with-ari-marcopolous/

 

Interviews-

http://www.interviewmagazine.com/art/ari-marcopoulos/2/

http://dossierjournal.com/style/fashion/dossier-in-conversation-with-ari-marcopolous/

http://slamxhype.com/art-design/ari-marcopoulos-interview/

Gallery represtents him-

(May not represent him anymore) http://www.afgmanagement.com/company

Ari has no personal website.

History

"Humans have marked their bodies with tattoos for thousands of years. These permanent designs—sometimes plain, sometimes elaborate, always personal—have served as amulets, status symbols, declarations of love, signs of religious beliefs, adornments and even forms of punishment."- Joann Fletcher
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/tattoo.html

"Tattoos have not only marked rebels but have also communicated clan membership, religious or tribal affiliation, social status, and marital position...and have served as markers of inclusion or exclusion. The oldest physical body in existence, the so-called Ice Man (ca. 3300-3200 B.C.) is remarkable not only because his 57 tattoos perhaps were used for medicinal purposes, but because this oldest human skin ever found is itself tattooed. Considering the large number of tattooed mummies found around the globe, tattooing was apparently widely practiced in the ancient world . Ancient, mysterious, and powerful, tattoos still hold a critical place in the modern world."- Margo Demello

http://www.randomhistory.com/2008/07/26_tattoo.html

“the mainstreaming of the tattoo has produced a number of outstanding artists who have developed their own styles and are documenting their own history” -Diana Lien

http://www.dianalien.com/blog/thesis-more-than-skin-deep-tattoo-aesthetics-in-design-culture/

"Photography can put a human face on a situation that would otherwise remain abstract or merely statistical.
Photography can become part of our collective consciousness and our collective conscience. It is a way to
remember history and to try not to relive the mistakes of the past".
James Nachtwey. 

 http://www.karlgrobl.com/Quotes.htm

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I am giving bibliography of several things I read talking about history with tattoo's and photography.  Both photography and tattoo's have been used as a means of documenting history either for self (the beholder of the tattoo or photography) or for what is going on around you.  Both photography and tattoo's have extensive detailed history for the art form itself.  The art of tattooing has been around way longer then photography has been but noth have extensive history's.  People use both means to document to remind themselves not to repeat the past.  Often used as reminders to not forget or repeat the past.  The earliest found proof of someone having a tattoo is 5200 years ago while photography has been around a little over 150 years.  Summery of it all is both art forms have a history from first found mummy with a tattoo to the invention of photography.  They are both used to record history whether it is recording the individual history or the world around them.  Each means are huge part of history without both art forms culture and life now today would be drastically different.

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This is one important subject/term for my project it correlates heavily with the the terms documentation and communication I wrote about before.  Through documentary photography (which is way of recording history) I have been taking pictures of subjects so people can see the history my subjects have tattooed on themselves.  I want them to see what is important to these subjects and why they choose to record that specific part of there history (life) on themselves.  I am using photography as my means of recording history (and the history of others) to show, even through other photographs not focused on their tattoos, what is important to this group of culture.  I am even showing completely different (from each other) people who have chosen to tattoo/document completely different things from each other on themselves. What first got my interested in this project was my fascination of people choosing to tattoo the history of their lives on themselves.  From that I used means of documenting history to show what history the subjects have chosen to document on themselves.

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My computer is not letting my upload photos at all onto blogger I dont know if it is my computer, blogger or internet I am using but I will figure it all out soon

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All the sites I have linked above I used for everything along with the sites down below.

http://inventors.about.com/od/pstartinventions/a/stilphotography.htm

http://clearlyexplained.com/culture/arts/photography.html

http://tattoos.com/jane/steve/toc.htm

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/tattoo.html?c=y&page=1

Permanent

"Body tattoos have been a part of our culture since long and these are often associated to public statement of who and what we are. It talks about your identity and the way you want to be perceived by others. It’s not something to be done without thinking about it carefully, but it’s not something to be afraid of either. Getting a permanent ink injected in the skin is perhaps the most important decisions you can make. "

http://www.glamcheck.com/fashion/2010/01/11/permanent-body-tattoos/

“Your photography is a record of your living, for anyone who really sees.”- Paul Strand

http://thinkexist.com/quotations/photography/3.html

“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.”

-Aaron Siskind

http://thinkexist.com/quotations/photography/

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I only have sites I found are he qoutes on what moderatly discuss in what and why I am interested in this term.  Photos and tattoo are both permanent.  As long as the owner of the tattoo or the photograph takes care of these items in the correct and proper manner they can almost last forever there both permanent images just on two different surfaces.  The body may die the photograph may get trashed but they are both permanent on its owner/body/paper for its full life.  The owner decides It wants a permanent image to have whether in their hands or on themselves.  I am researching to understand thoughts of why people want something permanent why they choose have this image or text forever.  I am guessing to record something important or to have something with them that is highly meaningful.  The photo or tattoo can both speak out about something the holder feels strongly about.  I feel the choice in having permanent record or something whether a photo or a tattoo is to demonstrate or show something of importance or meaning.  

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I am using photography for my project to show my subjects permanent form of expression with another means of permanent expression.  I show what they feel is important to them by letting you see their tattoos then showing documents of a place, a action, and a object to let you see what is most important to them.  It is all about showing what is important to these subject maybe let you see through other photos why they decided to permanently speak out about something.

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Sally Mann

I choose Sally Man because I am really interested in how she makes her The Flesh and the Spirit and her work Proud Flesh photos look.  I have been thinking about making one or two of the photos for each subject look aged like how hers do.  I want to do this to show in a discrete way that this culture has been around for thousands of years.  I am interested in making my environment and possibly my object photo look aged (possibly in different way ) like her The Flesh and the Spirit and Proud Flesh photos.  I also like how she takes photos in the process she likes the most.  She sticks to taking pictures of things she loves (whether it is easy or difficult to take the picture) in the processes she likes no matter what controversy they bring or doubt from the public.

Sally Mann was born in 1951 in Lexington, VA.  Her photography career started in the early 1970's.  She is most known for her photos of her immediate family and resonant landscape work. Her photos tend to cause controversy sometimes.  Her series she became first known for were At Twelve: Portraits of Young Women (1988) and Immediate Family (1992).  She had her first solo exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, in Washington D.C.  Most her work stays in black and white an she usually sticks to antique photos technology for her photos.  She was named "America's best photographer" by Time Magazine in 2001. She has been in several exhibitions and won many grants and awards.  Currently she lives in Lexington Va.    

"Most of the pictures I take are of the things I love, the things that fascinate and compel me, but that doesn’t mean they are easy to look at or take. Like Flaubert, two things are sacred to me in my process: impiety and perfection—the former often hereditary, the latter always hard-won. Beyond the felicitous “unifying accidents” that occasionally grace the work, making art requires tenacity, a temperament born of an ungodly cross between a hummingbird and a bulldozer, and, most of all, practice. Practice looking."
http://jmcolberg.com/weblog/2009/08/sally_mann_proud_flesh/

"She has long used an 8x10 bellows camera, and has explored platinum and bromoil printing processes. In the mid 1990s she began using the wet plate collodion process to produce pictures which almost seem like hybrids of photography, painting, and sculpture."
http://www.gagosian.com/artists/sally-mann/

 
 http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/mann/clip3.html

http://www.vmfa.state.va.us/Exhibitions/Sally-Mann-The-Flesh-and-The-Spirit/

She does not have her own website.

Communication

''Photojournalism is all about telling a story about a particular event or incident through a single photograph."
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/types-of-photography.html


"The recent 20th century, if we consider it outside of our own experiences, is more "visible" and meaningful to many of us through the presence of powerful photographs than many texts, films, plays, other art, or other records that may have touched us."
 http://photo.net/philosophy-of-photography-forum/00Sb7t?start=0

The word 'Art" is an expression of feelings, emotions which are often expressed by symbols. A symbol is defined as a picture or image that tells a situation without words. Symbols, such as cave paintings and carvings were mankind's earliest form of communication. In due course, Tattoos became the symbols that are known to have expressed man's deep passions, beliefs and identity.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Tattoo---Its-Meaning&id=201324


These tattoos also reflect one of the earliest known forms of communication. There is no record of speech among primitive humans, but ample evidence supports the fact that they exchanged and recorded information through art. Archeologists attribute pictures as earliest methods of communication and recordkeeping, and tattoos stand together with cave paintings, pictographs and hieroglyphics as good examples.
http://www.cfif.org/htdocs/legal_issues/legal_updates/first_amendment_cases/tatoo_free_speech.htm

(another discussion board and sites that got me thinking about imagery in general being form of communitcation)

http://photo.net/philosophy-of-photography-forum/00Qn48
http://www.taylordavidson.com/writing/2007/09/24/everyone-is-a-photographer/
http://www.acp.org.au/workshop/specialist



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I apologize for so many quotes but I found a lot of information online discussing both photography and tattoos as a means of communication wanted to show all sites I picked up my research on.

All the sites I have listed above all have mentioned similar things.  With some they express saying how documentary photography is most powerful forms of communication and photojournalism photography is most reliable and immediate forms of photography. The sites also say how those two kinds of photography (which are two forms I am most concentrated on with this project) are best used to tell a story or explain event with image. 
The sites about tattoos explain that tattoos are mans earliest forms of communitcation.  Man have used this form of art create identity, make a statement or express a belief or passion. 
My overall own opinion is that photography and tattoos are both means of communication and can communicate about the same things.  They are just two different art forms.

Communication (along with documenation before) is very important term with my concept.  Along with documentation tying photography and tattoo's together so does communication.
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I am using a means of communication (photography) to communicate concept about a means of communication (tattoos).  Im using my means of communication show another persons form of communication.  I think this is something I am going dive into further and think about more as I get deeper into my project.  It is interesting me how I am finding so many relationship between photography and tattooing.  Im using both communicate about person.  (With photos and in showing and explaining there form of communication.  About learning about a person through art and visual imagery. 
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This might be random image of tattoo but didn't have exact photo explaining term in relation to my work.

Julika Rudelius answers

I missed the lecture.  I wrote in my agenda the old time the lecture was meeting at (530).  So I showed up for the end of the lecture.  Because I didn't check my email before I didn't catch that it was meeting at 3.  I did look at her website.  I found her site very dull I feel like her website could have made her work more exciting.  Having white background small black text for anyone as a website will make whatever it is about dull and unexciting.  I feel like she could have had a better web designer to make people more interested and excited about her work.  I wish I got to the lecture to see what her work was really like compared to her site but ill have to wait till video or audio of lecture is put up.  From what I saw on her site I found her work strange and like her site dull but maybe the website design kept me from getting truly excited about her work influenced my reaction of what I saw.  I am going to go to a extra lecture for missing this one even if I do not get credit for it.

Julika Rudelius Questions

How do you come about your ideas for you videos? What is your process of you discover what you want your video to be about?

Was it difficult to keep people calm and stay in character in your work adrift?

Gered Mankowits (late)

I choose Gered Mankowits because I like the way he photographs and documents his musicians portrait and environment wise.  I want to photograph my subjects in similar style he photographs his musicians.  His work that inspires me the most is two sections his Musicians Work and his Room of My Own work.  He has studio shoots, people in rooms, and musicians playing their instruments.  I like how he gives insight to different areas of his subjects lives and that is similar to what I want to do with my subjects.  He usually always inspiration to my work also because he is my favorite photographer I just am fascinated by the way he captures his subjects in different ways.

Gered Mankowits was born in London, England in 1946.  He quit school at 15 and decided to pick up photography afterward being inspired by actor Peter Sellers.  In 1962 he moved barbados and started taking photographs as professional.  He eventually went back to london shot American Play that was musical called Fiorello.  His pictures were put up in the display of the theatre and became youngest photographer to have his photos to be used in that way.  In 1963 he started photographing in the music industry and opened up his own studio.  In 1965 his career started to get big and went on tour with the Rolling Stones as their main photographer shooting them on and off stage.  After that photographed several other big musicians.  After that over time started working the advertising industry also.  Froom 1992 to 1994 he had body of work The Entertainers show in at three big galleries.  From 2000 on he had several exhibitions including one with legendary Beatles photographer Robert Freeman.  He still to this day works in music industry and has published a number of books with his work. In 2007 he went to Cornwall in England and now teaches at University College Falmouth and works on his own projects on the side.  He has had several exhibitions from 1982 to 2010.

There is nothing specifically qoute from him.  I just want to give insight of who i photograph by photographing different aspects of them in such a way that Gered did with his musicians.

http://www.mankowitz.com/- His main site
http://www.suziquatro.com/news.htm - Includes small review of Gered at the bottom of the site
http://www.nme.com/video/bcid/490946892001/search/NME + interview with Gered
Has no one specifically represtenting him currently