FOLIO
Words & Photos by Lorelei Belanger
Body art has evolved from being taboo, alternative or subculture to more mainstream, no longer just ink on skin but personal stories, tributes to things that matter most to people, expressions of identities and memorials. In the United States, 32% of adults have at least one tattoo with 69% of those being in honor of someone or something meaningful. Whether it’s paying homage to a loved one, supporting an artist or showing off interests, tattoos have become a deeply personal, live action form of storytelling.
Tattoos have an ancient history with evidence dating back over 5,000 years. It’s believed that the earliest tattoos may have had therapeutic or spiritual purposes. Early tattooing was often linked to milestones, spiritual protection or tribal identity. In Ancient Egypt, tattoos symbolize fertility and protection, while in Polynesia they represented social status and heritage. In Japan, they shifted from spiritual symbols to markers of criminality.
The invention of the electric tattoo machine in 1891 further popularized the art in the West. Somewhere in the long timeline of tattooing, there was a shift from symbolism of status or forms of punishment to personal expressions of identity. Today, tattoos are widely admired and flaunted worldwide, as a way to connect vast groups of people and celebrate art.
As a creative, culturally diverse city, Jacksonville is home to a thriving community of tattoo enthusiasts who proudly showcase their ink. The city has become a hotspot for tattoo culture, with six conventions and festivals held in the city annually, and over 50 tattoo shops to choose from.
To better understand the stories behind the skin, I spoke with some locals about their tattoos. I asked how many tattoos each individual had, and what their most meaningful, or favorite one to show off was, here are their responses:
Alina has three tattoos, the most meaningful is a shark’s tooth on the back of her arm, which she got because she grew up in Florida and would collect shark’s teeth with her grandparents while walking the beach when she was little.
Zach has four tattoos, his favorite, which is on his arm, is because of the art style and coloring. It is also his first one done by his current tattoo artist.
Jacquie has eight tattoos, her favorite is one on her arm, saying “f*ck off” in Elvish writing, from “The Lord of the Rings.” It serves as a reminder that she can tell people to where to go if she needs to.
Patrick has six tattoos, his most meaningful is an Oogie-Boogie (from “The Nightmare before Christmas”) riding a purple T-rex, right above his heart. The tattoo is for his son, whose nickname is Oogie-Boogie, and favorite dinosaur is a T. rex, which is purple because of a purple car they had named “the Jellybean.”
Merritt has seven tattoos, her favorite, on her arm, is of two cardinals which were her late great grandma and aunt’s favorite birds
Eric has two tattoos, his more meaningful is on his arm, which is a rose with autumn leaves and against a blue background. This tattoo is for his daughters, whose middle names are Autumn and Rose, and their birthstone are both blue.
Chelsey has 18 tattoos, nine of which her best friend tattooed on her. Her most meaningful is one on her arm, which says “Adventure,” because it was the first tattoo her best friend did, and they love to travel and go on adventures together.
Grace has five tattoos, the most meaningful one to her is a lion on her arm, which acts as a reminder to praise God always with all of the breath in your lungs.
Erica has four tattoos, her most meaningful being one on the back of her leg, drawn by her daughter.
Displayed in the bustling streets of Downtown to works in progress in local tattoo parlors, the inked population of Jacksonville is a testament to how tattoos have evolved from a subculture to an integral part of modern identity.
Click here to see the faces and their ink!
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