“A sacred symbol of luck or intellect, protection or fear, flesh or the soul, death or resurrection, divinity or the devil, it’s mystical and spiritual powers have captivated humanity and cast the skull as an emblem for the human consciousness, a memento mori through which to explore the transience of life, death and the human soul” - The Book of Skulls, by Faye Dowling.
By Roger Moore.
Skulls have long been a fascination for the human psyche. Morbid lot, aren’t we? This fascination may come across as being obsessed with death, which is fair, however there is more to the symbolism of skulls than just death and decay. Going back thousands of years, we have seen skulls heavily depicted in mythology, religion, literature, architecture, art and fashion. When you think about it, perhaps the skull is the most iconic and recognisable symbol humanity - when all else is stripped away, a skull is the one feature that shows that we are human beings.
By Lucky Felix.
In more modern times, skulls are synonymous with the counter culture. Rock n’ rollers, punks, skaters, motor cycle gangs and goths are all known to adorn themselves with skulls, whether thats through a tattoo, a patch, a band t shirt or artwork, skulls are definitely prevalent within these sub cultures of society.
By Bernard Kwok.
Even though the sight of a pink haired kid wearing a Misfits t-shirt might unsettle your nana, history would argue that the skull has not exclusively been used to invoke thoughts of intimidation, fear or rebellion. Perhaps it’s quite the opposite. Skulls, worn as jewellery by Gods in many Eastern religions, serve as a reminder of the frailty of life. Mortals, unlike their Godly counterparts have no ownership over this. A subtle token that we have one life, and we should use it now, as in one fleeting moment it could all be undone. That’s a pretty positive message!
By Milky.
Skulls will always be a revered, thought provoking tattoo. It doesn’t matter if you get a skull because you’re into the idea aesthetically, or you want to carry a visual memento around with you forever, seeing as we can trace skulls in ancient arts over 5000 years ago, I think we can safely say they’re more than a logo for a rebellious teen. A timeless classic subject that fluidly transcends all styles of tattooing, you can never go wrong with one of the most recognisable symbols of all time, the humble human skull.
By Roger Moore.
Sunset Tattoo studio is located in central Auckland, New Zealand, and is home to some of the countries best tattoo artists. We specialise in Japanese, Maori, western traditional and black work tattoos. For requests, bookings and more information regarding our stellar artists, please contact the studio.
CONTACT:
www.sunsettattoo.co.nz
info@sunsettattoo.co.nz
(+649)3763423