Good Morning Speakeasy Readers!
At last, Summer is here and Los Angeles can finally look forward to some sunny days.
Enjoy the nice weather and have a great weekend!
Today's topic is about a newer tattoo style called trash polka. Trash Polka is a relatively new style of tattooing that originated in Germany in 1998. It was developed by tattoo artists Simone Pfaff and Volko Merschky of Buena Vista Tattoo Club. The artists originally gave their work the name 'Realistic Trash Polka' because they combined realistic images (Realistic), with graphic, lettering and other artistic layers (Trash).
The style is characterized by a mix of bold, graphic elements, such as geometric shapes, typographical elements, and realistic images, such as portraits or animals. They are often composed using a monochromatic palette with occasional accents of red, and the backgrounds frequently feature random splatters, drips, and brush strokes.
Unlike traditional tattoo styles, Trash Polka tattoos are not based on predetermined designs but instead are typically customized for each individual client. The designs are dubbed as “confusingly beautiful” as the designs often express multiple ideas mixed into one tattoo and can be a montage of different elements. The juxtaposition, the mixing of bold and fine lines, dots, geometry, heavy color, and dramatic realism can tell a big story, encompassing all the facets of one’s life.
Trash Polka tattoos have gained a significant following around the world, with many artists offering their own interpretations of the style. For example, while a true trash polka tattoo uses bold contrasts between black and red ink, some tattoo artists will switch out the red for another color. The style has also expanded beyond tattoos into other art forms, such as graphic design and street art.
The term "Trash Polka" itself is said to originate from the fusion of two different words related to art: "trash," which represents the raw, chaotic elements of street art, and "Polka," which stands for the precise and structured aspects of graphic design.
The history of the Trash Polka tattoo style is relatively short, given its recent origin, and it is still being developed and expanded by tattoo artists around the world. However, it has taken a place of its own as an expressive, bold, and unique style that combines different elements of traditional and contemporary art forms. What I personally love about this style is that no two pieces are the same and each tattoo done in this style is truly unique.
Until next time my fellow apes,
Peter Hernandez
Good Morning Speakeasy Readers!
Another cloudy weekend, but the weather is still warming up. Summer is almost here! There’s plenty to do so I hope everyone enjoys the weekend.
Today I will be sharing some current news going on in the tattoo world. Currently Japan is considering lifting a ban on tattoos for its defense forces in order to increase recruitment and encourage young citizens to join the armed forces.
For many years Japan has looked down on tattoos, as they are strongly associated with mafia-like gangs known as the yakuza who often get inked with elaborate tattoos that cover large parts of their bodies.
Recently though, several politicians urge the government to relax the rules against body art and not discriminate against people who want to join Japan’s armed forces for having “fashionable tattoos” not associated with yakuza gangs. Officials are now saying that the young population of Japan now sport tattoos for sartorial reasons and it’s not to identify with yakuza."Rejecting applicants just because they have tattoos poses a problem in terms of enhancing the human resources base," Masahisa Sato, an MP from the governing Liberal Democratic Party, recently said.“Various kinds, including fashion tattoos like a small flower or one’s own name” should not be mistaken for the sort of full-body tattoos that yakuza gangs tended to favor, Sato added.
The head of the defense ministry's personnel bureau, Kazuhito Machida, has said that the ban must be reconsidered given Japan's declining birth rate. The country of 125 million had fewer than 800,000 births in 2022. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said it is "now or never" for Japan to address its shrinking and aging population. With the population declining the Japanese Self-Defence Forces missed its recruitment target last April and ended up being 10% short of its troop capacity.
While lifting this ban won’t completely fix Japan’s issue of low recruitment as tattoos are still pretty rare to have in Japan, lifting it will open opportunities for those who were brave enough to still get a tattoo for personal reasons rather than yakuza affiliation. There are many other jobs and services in Japan that will deny employment or service to people with tattoos and lifting this ban could be the beginning of opening more opportunities for people with tattoos and of lifting the taboo that many of the older generations feel against tattoos.
Personally I look forward to seeing the tattoo world grow in Japan. Once the stigma against tattoos lightens up, I feel we will see many amazing new tattoo artists emerge.
Until next time my fellow apes,
Peter Hernanez
Hello Speakeasy Readers!
Hope you all have fun weekend plans. It's another cool and cloudy weekend in Los Angeles, but I think sunny days will be here soon!
Today's topic is Don Ed Hardy who has had a huge impact on the tattoo world.
Don Ed Hardy, born on January 31, 1945, is an American tattoo artist, painter, and designer whose groundbreaking work in tattoo art has brought him worldwide recognition. Hardy was born in Corona Del Mar, California, into a family of artists. He studied printmaking at the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) and later became a protégé of pioneering tattoo artist Sailor Jerry Collins.
In 1967, Ed Hardy began his career as a tattoo artist and opened his first studio in San Francisco. Hardy's style of tattooing, which combined traditional Japanese imagery with American tattoo design, was groundbreaking and earned him a reputation as one of the most innovative tattooists of his time.
Despite facing criticism during the 1970s for his controversial tattoo designs, Hardy became increasingly popular as his unique style caught on.
In the 1980s, Hardy's business expanded beyond tattooing with the founding of his clothing brand, Hardy Marks Publications, which showcased the work of tattoo artists in books and magazines. The brand has since expanded to include clothing, watches, fragrances, and other accessories.
Over the years, Ed Hardy's influence on the art of tattooing has continued to grow. He has been inducted into the Tattoo Hall of Fame and received numerous awards for his contributions to the industry.
Hardy has also exhibited his paintings and drawings in galleries and museums around the world, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. In 2020, he released his memoir, "Wear Your Dreams: My Life in Tattoos," which chronicles his life and career as a tattoo artist, designer, and painter.
With his innovative designs and contributions to the world of tattooing, Ed Hardy has left an indelible mark on the industry and is considered a trailblazer in the world of tattoo art.
Until next time my fellow apes,
Peter Hernandez