TRASHDOG'S OBSESSION
- by Justina Speirokaite (Curator at Improper Walls)
“It’s a very powerful visual language” says multi-disciplinary artist Bruno Levy about tattooing. When it comes to the question if tattooing is art, opinions might differ. For me it started as a fashion, or esthetics I started to like in my teen years. My first tattoos were images I found in tattoo catalogues and on the internet, nevertheless soon enough I started to be more interested in tattooing as art and choosing a design because I like the style of the artists, not because I want to have a cat (specifically) on my leg.
For those who try to determine whether tattoos are art, remember the broader, time-old question, “what is art?”. However, creating a tattoo also poses many of the same questions that creating an artwork or an exhibition does. How does the placement of this installation change its relationship to room? How does the placement of this cat (again) on the leg, rather than the hand, change its relationship to the body and (possibly) other surrounding tattoos?
Finally, if we perceive getting a tattoo like purchasing art, then it is an art that walks around in the world with someone for as long as they live.
“What we should realize, then, is that there is little or no reason to assume a work, because it is a tattoo, shouldn’t be considered art … when we look at a tattoo, we see a work of art that is slowly disintegrating with the person upon whom it is placed. Because of that mortal disintegration, as an art form tattoos are in a special position to make us think deeply about art, performance, and our own mortality.” Nicolas Michaud in Robert Arp (ed.) Tattoos-A Philosophy for Everyone (2012: 37)_
To follow up with the topic of Obsessions, I approached a Vienna based tattoo artist Trashdog and asked about him and his obsession.
Who is Trashdog?
My name is Markus and I'm in my late 20s right now and I like art in every shape and form but especially tattooing. I think the saying “one person's trash is another person's treasure” really fits to me so I’ve chosen the name Trashdog.
How is the current situation influencing your work?
The Covid-19 Isolation just made me lonely because I love meeting people, tattooing them and having a chat. Luckily other than missing customers it didn’t affect me or people I know. FUCK YOU CORONA!
And the police brutality and BLM movement made me draw more ACAB 1312 tattoos!
What is your recent obsession?
My obsession will always be skateboarding. It occupies my mind 24/7. it’s so much connected to art and it brings people together. It doesn’t discriminate and the best thing is you don’t even have to be very good to enjoy it. I suck ass at skateboarding but it’s still the best thing ever.
