“My tattoos symbolize life through death, or death through life.”---Zombie boy (Rick Genest 2015)

 

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I chose Rico zombie boy as my icon. He covers nearly every inch of his body with tattooed images of bones, rotting flesh, death symbols and bugs, which I think it is a self-expression for him to remember the day of “transformation”.  At the age of 15, he underwent a complicated, high – risk surgery with an extremely low chance of survival, but he beat the odds and survived surgery unscathed, alive, and ready to begin his new life.  Therefore, death, tattoo and punk culture which he is keen on, becoming the main theme for my research.

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Quinn argues that clothing is an extension of the skin (Quinn B,2002, p.13), like tattoos is a “means of defining the self socially” (ibid). Similarly Smith and Topham explain that this can often be quite revealing: “Masks, prostheses, makeup, and camouflage are effective means of revealing our hidden natures anytime, anywhere.” （Smith C and Topham S 2005，p.57)

This became evident when I interviewed my muse. He is a medical student and fitness instructor. First impressions might suggest that he is hyper masculine with muscles and a tattoo on his right arm. However, he is actually a scrupulous person, studying medicine.  He told me that he can become either doctor or fitness instructor. He finds this dual identity empowering because it gives him the freedom to choose what he wants to do as a career. I noticed he has a camouflage back pack, which reminds me of the camouflage pant zombie boy often wears. I asked him why and he told me that he thinks he has a contrast life which encourages him to find a balance point, which helps him to defend himself against the injustice of life. This caused me to think about the connections between tattooing and camouflage. As zombie boy mention, zombie, in another word is ‘transformed’, and I think he transformed himself by tattooing, wearing death as extension skin to protect himself. Camouflage, as a pattern for concealment, is also a protection against to danger or death by blending into the environment.

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This represents the Zeitgeist because it suggests that there is often a need to protect oneself. But what are we protecting ourselves from? Pavitt suggests “the anxieties of the period were not only fears about the future – of possible nuclear war or alien invasion – but also of the present – pollution, disease, a decline in the world’s resources, too much noise, too much information.” （Pavitt J 2008,p.111)

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Yet while we use clothing to protect ourselves, it can simultaneously reveal our inner emotions or insecurities. As Bolton explains: Our costume conceals nothing, reveals everything: it is our secret skin, exposed and exposing us for all the world to see (Bolton A 2008, p.22). Therefore it is interesting to explore the concept of revealing emotion through protection.