Tattoos are so popular in celebrity circles that both
tattoos and celebrities have become synonymous with each other.
Celebrities like rock stars, movie stars, athletes, pop stars and sports
stars proudly display their tattoo designs and body art. It is
interesting to note that celebrities have freed, to a large extent, the
stigmatic perception of tattoo. Common people are always eager to steal
a look into the private life of their favorite stars. This makes these
celebrities to sport more and more tattoos as tattoos are seen as symbol
of style, fashion and freedom. Celebrity tattooing is not a new
phenomenon. Tattoo art was made fashionable by the British upper classes
in the 19th century. At that time family crests and other small signets
were popular tattoo designs which the upper classes sported on their
forearms and other body parts.
But the real celebrity tattoo revolution began in the second part of
the 20th century when the western rock and pop artists showed their
keenness for tattoo art. It was the period when the idea of tattoo being
an art form took the imagination of the people in general and
celebrities in particular. With the British football star David Beckham,
the tattoo craze reached its zenith. Beckham got his arm tattooed,
showing Victoria in Hindi. Perhaps that was not enough. In 2004 tattoo
artist, Louis Malloy flew from the UK to give David Beckham a new winged
cross tattoo on the back of his neck during a soccer tournament. Janis
Joplin and Cher were some prominent celebrities who sported tattoos in
the 1980s.
Since rock stars, film stars and pop stars are seen more as symbol of
freedom, they tend to reaffirm their image by displaying tattoo art.
There are many celebrities who flaunt temporary tattoos but some
celebrities have permanent tattoo art on their bodies. Angelina Jolie
and Johnny Depp are some of the prominent Hollywood stars who have
distinct tattoos on their bodies. Similarly, rock stars and athletes
tend to ink their bodies with tattoos more than any body else. It is
interesting to note that most of the US basketball stars have prominent
tattoos displayed on their bodies. This proves that tattoos have become
the sport's world's most flaunted form of self-expression. Everyone,
from basketball stars to boxers and wrestlers, seems bitten by the
tattoo bug. In a survey, conducted by the Associated Press, it was found
that more than 35% of all NBA players had tattoos on their bodies. Other
examples of celebrity tattoos are Tommy Lee Jones and Pamela Anderson.
Tattoo bug has bitten not only celebrities but also many art followers,
museums, galleries and institutions all over the world.
