Body Art: The Human Canvas - Ink and Steel

by Gary Lee Heard

Throughout time, numerous cultures have used body markings to signify status or enhance beauty. In Western society, during the early part of the 20th century, tattooing was primarily limited to military personnel and fringe communities such as bikers. However, the last 10 years have seen a mainstream acceptance of body art, in large part due to the high visibility of pro athletes and musicians. BODY ART is a photographic essay on what has become one of the main components of pop culture in America today. Gary Lee Heard has the uncanny ability to capture not just the ink on the subjects, but a glimpse into their personalities through the more than 200 striking images. These powerful portraits are accompanied by quotes from the individuals who have decided to express themselves in this dramatic art form.

Genres: Nonfiction

176 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2003

Reviews

[Miri Gifford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this on top of the picture book display shelves (obviously not where it goes, as it's an adult closed stack book) and decided to look through it. It's actually pretty cool. A lot of people's comments about their tattoos were what you'd expect: "If people can't take a joke, they can go **** themselves," etc. Some of them were great, though.

"I do get some bad reactions, but give me five minutes and I can change anyone's mind!"

"My tattoos come from the heart. One to remember the one who went before me [his brother who died], and the other a spawn with angel wings—lets me know there are two sides that want to claim us—so we have to choose."

Lots of nudity, mostly female. I actually loved it because most of the people photographed didn't have thin, supermodel bodies; they were comfortable with themselves and obviously connected to and appreciative of their bodies in a way that's really nice to see. Not a book I would have sought out, but I'm glad to have read through it.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book. The introduction gave me the impression there would be more about the tradition and customs of body art and personal stories. It was very sketchy.