I have to admit it: not a fan of tattoos, nor do I really understand the appeal (Even in my more rebellious days, I dabbled in hair color and an earring).
Leading tattoo artists are helping wounded Israelis cover up the scars of tragedy and loss.
The Israelis have been maimed by war and violence which left them with daily remainders of their ordeals — either in the form of physical scars or deep emotional ones.
At an event organized by a group called Artists 4 Israel, 11 tattoo artists from around the world splashed bold graphics on the wounded Israelis this week, transforming their pain into a source of pride. Some were tattooed over their scars whereas others placed their body art in other places.
“They have the scar that was forced upon them, they were harmed and every day they wake up and look at that scar and see themselves in the mirror, it’s an exact reminder, it brings them back like this, to what happened to them,” said executive director Craig Dershowitz.
“What we’re doing is hoping to erase as much as possible of that painful memory. It’s also a sense of reclaiming their bodies, it’s a sense of how do they present themselves to the world, how are they seen, and perceived and now they are saying: ‘I’m going to be seen the way I choose to be seen’,” he said.
The tattoo artists drew inspiration from works at the Israel Museum, Israel’s national museum, which hosted the event.
A law school graduate, David Lange transitioned from work in the oil and hi-tech industries into fulltime Israel advocacy. He is a respected commentator and Middle East analyst who has often been cited by the mainstream media
A law school graduate, David Lange transitioned from work in the oil and hi-tech industries into fulltime Israel advocacy. He is a respected commentator and Middle East analyst who has often been cited by the mainstream media
