Tattooed Olympians Display Their Pride
The London 2012 Olympic Games are only a matter of days away. Venues have been unveiled, athletes are set up in the Olympic Village, and London has been spruced up in readiness for the attention of the thousands of excited tourists who have already descended on the capital.
Finally the excitement and anticipation can be released after such a lengthy run up. For the first time, many of the athletes have social media profiles and it is interesting to see how many have taken up the habit of having the Olympic rings tattooed on their bodies.
As a permanent souvenir and recognisable symbol of the ultimate members club, this is a sign that they deserve to carry with honour. These athletes have reached the peak in their discipline. They wear their badge with pride.
It is not just the athletes themselves, though. Sports fans have jumped on board the trend, showing support for their national team or to the Olympics themselves with flags, names and the coloured Olympic rings all being popular tattoos at this time. Some works are more successful than others, though, as was evidenced by a recent mishap in the United States
An American Mistake
American woman Jerri Peterson was literally branded a laughing stock after her tattooist incorrectly spelt the tattoo she had to celebrate her participation in the Olympic torch relay. Thankfully, she saw the funny side and declined an offer to correct the spelling cock-up. She would seem to be more forgiving than I would have been in her situation.
Whatever the reason for being inked, the days have gone when tattoos were reserved for sailors, crooks and fairground freaks. Now tattoos, just like the people sporting them, come in all shapes and sizes. The number of tattooed people displaying in any city in the summer proves that tattoos have become almost a fashion item for some people. Walking the streets of Belgrade, Zagreb or Banja Luka that is clear to see.
British Lions and Orthodox Saints
In the British summer, men bearing the three lions of English football can be seen in almost every beer garden. Others have England spelled out up their leg or arm as a reminder, or maybe a warning, of where their heart belongs. Altogether quite a different style of tattoos is favoured in Serbia, where a common taste is for memorial pieces or tributes to lost friends or family members. Names, dates and portraits are worn in remembrance to dead relatives in a way that is quite unfamiliar in other communities. In Banja Luka, dead dogs seem to be another favourite piece of art.
Obviously some go for the ubiquitous tribal bands and script, but still more chose to wear their religious leanings on their sleeve (or back). Large ornate crucifixes, a rampant St George slaying a dragon and various assorted Orthodox icons are some of the more common tattoos in Orthodox areas of the Balkan region. And if they are going to do it, they will do it large, with little fear of ridicule or regret. Among some communities, young men (but rarely young women) chose to brandish nationalist symbols or even the heads of their heroes on bulging upper arms or splashed across their backs.
Tattooed Ladies
Tattoos have always been popular with certain worlds such as music and fashion. They were as much a part of the rock god’s wardrobe as chunky rings and bravado. That package remains infectiously attractive to millions, although the tattooed beat messiahs face competition from the female of the species. Amy Winehouse was well known for her ink, while even pop’s Pink, Rihanna and Katy Perry have gone under the needle and proudly display their artworks. They promote their ink to add credibility to their styling, harking back to the glory days when tattoos were seen as rebellious and cool.
Thanks to actresses, musicians and masters of the art like the incredible Kat von D, tattoos for women have really taken off. So much so that, in certain parts of town, you can run out of fingers to count the number of tattooed tribal swirls that are revealed by low-slung female waistlines. Inevitably, such marks have attracted less than favourable slang terms that show that, while tattoos can enhance a man’s reputation, women with tattoos can be sneered at still.
Banja Luka Tattoo
I have four tattoos: a green snake, howling wolf, stalking panther and an ancient horse. The same artist, Pedi at the Banja Luka Tattoo Studio did each of them in the past six years. I am keen to add a fifth beast to my inked menagerie and I will return to Pedi because I have great faith in his work, which is important when you are going under the tattooists drill. Now I just need to find time to get back to his Banja Luka Tattoo Studio. I can’t wait.
Marcus Agar has been commissioned by Wannabe Magazine to write observational reports. Click to read the Serbian version or for an interview in English or Serbian.
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