Skin

Skin - A mortal work of art

This is the first image of the Skin project, the author’s tattoo. This project consists of a short story not published in any conventional terms - rather it exists solely on the bodies of volunteers, challenging what people might expect of storytelling.

With each word being hand-drawn by the tattoo artist, and conforming to the contours of the human body, they are all unique. The method of publication challenges both the viewer and particpant’s views of what a story can be by presenting it in an unexpected way. Yet, the author requests that each word be written in a traditional book typeface, and not be ornamental in any way. Obviously she wants to maintain the tie between her work and more traditionally released stories as she requires the viewer or participant to have knowledge of how material is normally communicated. Without that knowledge the artistry, irony, and originality of the idea would be lost. The work speaks to our expectations, and makes us more aware of them.

- Jess Davis