8.11.13

drawing challenge: TATTOO




it took me hours of frustration to make this picture....


i chose the theme TATTOO after reading this sentence
'skin was the first canvas for art'

the maori, my subject, treat the body like a piece of wood
they use a small bone-cutting tool to carve intricate shallow grooves

this art form has been practiced for over a thousand years
it was used as a form of identification, with regards to rank,
genealogy, tribal history, beauty and virility
the lines of a moko accentuate the lines of the face to emphasise the expression

maori woman were traditionally only allowed to be tattooed on
their lips, around the chin and sometimes nostrils
a woman with full blue lips was seen as very beautiful

so that is what i have tried to make
a picture of me as a maori woman with a chin moko
taken around 1890  ;^))


for more TATTOO's please visit these fine blogs of:

Nadine, Ariane, Susan Christensen, Barbara bee,
Tania, Annton Beate Schmidt, Kristen,
Tammie, Stefanie and Rachel!

P.S.
and without the moko
can you see the headache?....



18 opmerkingen:

  1. hello,
    thank you for being our wonderful host!
    your moko is beautiful! Did you draw it right onto your face?

    it is so interesting to consider our bodies as the first canvas.

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  2. wow! wise and beautiful woman!

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  3. Hope your head has stopped aching (ouch!)
    It is so strange to see you marked up like a Maori tribeswoman - and at the same time not.
    You look strong and beautiful!
    xx

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  4. Oh dear...I think the pain of tattooing your chin would have made you forget about any headache...I'd still prefer headaches, even if I know that pain might be even worse!
    Nevertheless this kind of Maori tattoo suits you in a very strange aristocratic way. Maybe it's because you told me about the meaning before? So interesting however. So different from what we're used to. So minimal and still so above all. Lines within a face.
    Amazing how your attitude changes with your moko.
    Great post. Get well soon!

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  5. ik ook, zie de schoonheid net als lori hier boven,
    het is een onzettend mooie, sterke portrait vind ik.

    en zoals altijd, een prachtige, creatiefe interpretatie...
    fijne weekend p!

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  6. Beautiful!
    and
    I just gave you the Sunshine Award..
    Have a beautiful day!
    xox,
    Hagar

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  7. dear Patrice, I saw your portrait here before I went to sleep yesterday evening. I took you within my dreams, this picture of you is so moving! so strange so strong so suffering and so beautiful.
    it´s that mixture of it all: what you told about the moko, your headache, women, skin... it´s spiritual. and there are the words you wrote at your comment concerning to the booklet, too. it´s exactly my intention. you are my sister.
    x Stefanie

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  8. no wonder, the headache doesn't show on the picture with your moko drawing. so much power & strength. I have met quite wise women wearing one them and it gave them such beauty and grace. it does the same for you. thank you so much for this drawing challenge. it went right to my heart! I hope you're doing better already. greetings from berlin.

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  9. Oh, dear Patrice,
    my dear friend, thank you so much for beeing our host with that theme. It takes me on a journey, a world wide journey and to my ancestors in the past and to the relatives in the present... you will find it on 'Rose', my sister ;-)

    I scroll back and force, again and again, searching for what it is what makes the difference between you today and the maori-you.
    Do I find the headache? Yes. It is oppressive and I wanna give you a hug and soft contact by both hands, making the energy flow... from 'baihui', your neck, shoulders, arms, starting again on your neck, spine along, back, legs to your feet... exhaling.

    You as a maori woman with pretty moko... the colour of 'old' photo from the 1890th, the feathers... reminds me on Native American... colonialism (who took the photo, you know?)... your facial expression, your gesture wise, experiential... and it opens a space for a collective history. Great!

    Hope you are fine and the headache is gone. All the best to you.
    Love
    xoxx Ariane.

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  10. like lori i see beauty...

    love,
    v

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  11. Dear Patrice, the effort and frustration doing this maori pic of yours was worth it. It is absolutely wonderful and it brings to much more strengh and expression into ones face, that is really amazing. I discovered this, as I was working on that theme. Thank you for picking this theme and giving us this insight!
    Hope your headaches are gone by now. As I suffer a lot of headache myself I feel with you, because its so terrible and annoying feeling so miserable all the time and being nearly unable to move. I'm searching for the trigger for a long time and thought weather changes are the problem, but my newest discovery is, that it might by Glutamat, so I try to avoid it and it seems to be better. Maybe this is of any help to you I hope.
    Wish you a achefree sunday.
    Barbara Bee

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  12. aw, that's too bad, i'm sorry. so, did your frustration lead to the ache too, i wonder? the result however is totaly eerie and quite impressive. i'd even say daring.
    hello maori woman. i hope today finds you in high spirits, where aches fly off into the wild yonder.
    n♥

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  13. Your self-portrait as Maori is astounding, Patrice. Wow, really great.
    I love the idea of skin-as-art - the first wearable art, really. Thanks for the challenge, and I hope your headache has long since flown the coop.
    best, sus

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  14. beautiful Patrice, both with blue lips and without
    wearing another culture's skin or just your own
    (and unfortunately i always recognise a headache when i see one -
    i hope it's long gone without trace)
    x

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  15. I hope you get well soon, dear patrice!
    the maori tattoo is a little spooky, sorry, but I'm not a fan of blue lips, but I love the pattern.
    herzlichen gruß, mano

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  16. I hope your headache has passed -funny with the tattoo you look strong, I never would have thought suffering at that moment until you bring it to my attention- which creates a host of feelings for you, admiring your bravery and wanting to ease your pain somehow with such beauty...hope your well!

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