I don’t have tattoos myself but, as an artist myself (more specifically musician), I have a fascination with them because of the unique form of expression and manner of creation that they bring. Unlike essentially every other form of art, the human body is the medium, and well designed and executed tattoos by a master tattoo artist working in collaboration with the person who will wear it can be awe inspiring to look at, because it often has a deeply personal meaning to both the artist and the wearer, it accentuates or contrasts the human form, and it’s a way of having a permanent mark, for personal, for public, or somewhere in between.
Sure, like with any art, there’s taste involved. I’ve seen some people who have tattoos and I think they look amazing, they fit their personality, and when I’ve learned the stories behind them, they can even be moving. Other times, I see tattoos that are poorly executed, don’t really have that connection, or place in ways I don’t find pleasing. That’s fine too, it’s my opinion, and for pretty much any art, there’s going to be people that either don’t like it or don’t get it.
But ultimately, what’s defacing to you is beautiful to others. Look at other forms of body modification in other cultures, or even in more extreme parts of western culture. People do scarring, they “stretch” their necks, they elongate their ear lobes or lips. Some of that is considered odd or even repulsive to large sections of the population but can be considered extremely beautiful in their own cultures. Hell, even fairly tame common things like ear piercing, hair coloring, or even things like hair cuts/removal that most people don’t even bat an eye at in our culture are considered unattractive by some people. There’s no accounting for taste and no one says you have to like it.
But even when I find a particular tattoo or body modification particularly unattractive, my opinion doesn’t matter as long as the person who got it is happy with it. Sometimes their ideas or tastes change and something they once liked they don’t anymore, or it was just poorly done, and at that point I more just feel bad for them that they went through that process and didn’t get what they wanted. Beyond that, I even have a certain amount of respect for people who make permanent, particularly visible, modifications to their body that can set them as outcasts. Sure, sometimes in music or sports or art or whatever it’s sort of par for the course, but even moreso when someone is aware it can have an effect on their ability to get a job, a date, or even affect some everyday interactions.
And even speaking for myself, as someone who passionately loves extreme music, I get it. There’s TONS of stuff that I could weep at the beauty of listening to, others might say “what is this drek?” Some would describe some of that music, so very near and dear to my heart, as the audial equivalent of defacing music. For some people, they’re just not that into music at all, so extreme forms are particularly odd to them. For others, it’s just not a genre or style that appeals to them. And yet for others, maybe they just don’t “get it”, whatever that means in context. But ultimately, it’s all opinion and appreciation of art, so there’s no essential right or wrong outside of the obnoxious “you don’t REALLY like that, do you?” akin to “you’re just rebelling” or similar projection of nonsense when someone doesn’t appreciate someone else’s art.
So, I guess, TLDR, to each his own, no accounting for taste, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, whatever.
“You can learn a lot from Lydia!”