Young Iranians defy tattoo taboo

Tattoo artists in Iran hope their craft can enjoy legitimacy in the eyes of authorities and carry less stigma. “We wanted this art show to firstly be a wake-up call for local tattoo artists in order for them to focus more on their art, and to remind them that a good tattoo artist needs to have a strong background in art,” said Farshad Mirzaei, the chief organiser of the event. “My father still sometimes asks me, ‘Don’t you want to find a job?’ They still don’t hold the view that tattoo art can be a job, something you can dedicate your life to,” he said. But, fortunately, we’ve had some successful artists and we’ve seen that it is possible to have good achievements.” Mirzaei said there are many talented Iranian tattoo artists who should be supported locally and have the opportunity to participate in international tattoo conventions and make a name for themselves. “I think this is a really positive thing and I hope there will be more like this because we haven’t really had displays like this in Iran specifically dedicated to tattoo art,” she said.