Tattooing As a Form of Ritual with Eunji
Hi! I’m Monica, Eunji in Korean. I’m a visual artist and tattoo artist living in the Bay Area, currently studying Eastern philosophy, Korean shamanism, and plant medicines. Before, I was a motion designer at Google, in New York City, but I was born and raised in Korea. I became interested in the act of tattooing as a form of ritual. I got my first two tattoos as a talisman based on Myungri (Four Pillars Astrology, or Chinese Bazi), as both rituals brought important changes in my life. After leaving my full-time job, I spent some time in Korea to learn the skill so that I can tattoo myself and perhaps some close friends, and I fell in love with the art of it. The more I learned, the more I was able to see the beauty of heavily covered bodies.
My first self tattoo
When I came back to New York, I started tattooing friends, and soon, strangers too. Every session is a ceremony for me. I don’t work at a shop or advertise my tattoo work, so it’s quite personal and special when I meet people through this work. My leg was my very first human skin canvas, and then my generous friends volunteered. As fas as practice goes, I’m glad I never had to work on a pigskin, as I’ve heard it stinks pretty bad.
Regarding tattoos being associated with gangs, I did have many friends who were considered social outcasts: gang members, sex workers, and shamans (and many had tattoos). My identity as a bisexual person or an LGBTQ community member was also a big taboo back then.
In a mostly homogenous society like Korea, holding values considered outside of the mainstream can be a suffocating experience. Struggling in that way taught me how to embrace the beauty that isn’t appreciated by the majority. If my tattoos trigger discomfort in others, that discomfort is theirs. It’s a great practice to be true to yourself whether you fit in someone else’s idea of what is normal or not.
I do think it’s fair to say though, that the perceptions around tattoos have shifted a lot in Korea, especially among the younger generations. While the change still hasn’t been reflected in law (tattooing is still illegal in Korea), it certainly has gained mainstream attention over the past few years. I am hopeful that the law will catch up with changing perceptions soon.
I love designs that you can see time and the human hand behind; hand-written signs, matchbox designs, ex-libris, etc, all with imperfections but you sense the timelessness. I think that’s the style of art I relate to the most, whether it’s graphic design or tattoo. I don’t think I’m there yet, but that’s where I want to be. A few clients describe my work as a modern interpretation of old school tattoos. I think that reflects the stage I am in now.
Like my graphic design work, each piece is customizes for each client. All of my clients are familiar with my work so I get some freedom in the design. I usually offer a few versions to choose from, which helps me better understand the client better, and it affects the final piece.
Mike’s Pterodactyl
The first piece I did after my own leg was a small pterodactyl on my friend’s arm. That was his first tattoo too. (Thanks Mike!) As far as my own there’s not much I wish to have. I’m on a slow journey of collecting. There are so many amazing artists that I want to go visit. For now, I’m saving some space, dreaming of getting a full-body suit one day. 😊
Photography, Text, and Illustrations by Monica Eunji Kim