Topshop and tattoos – my TV tattoo interview

Blogged – my TV debut

 

A few weeks ago I received an intriguing email from a lovely young lady named Helena Poole, from the Community Channel.

She told me about Arts360, which is a programme to encourage young people in and around London to embrace art and culture and participate in debate. Part of the show would feature tattooing as an artform and she wanted to interview me about how I felt about tattoos and their value as art. I told her I would love to be involved…

So here it is. My TV debut, talking about art and tattoos. Alongside the infamous Alex Binnie, who it actually looks like I am arguing with…

This extract just shows the tattoo section, to the view the whole programme, click here.

Tattoos aren’t fashion, they’re art. I don’t pick a tattoo in the same way I go to Topshop and pick a top.

Although I am honoured I was asked to participate in the show, I am slightly disappointed with the tattoo segment. It appears to be lots shorter than the other artforms (opera, graffiti) in the show, so therefore not as much in-depth discussion about it. I also feel the focus wasn’t so much on why tattoos are art, but more whether or not a young person should get tattooed. Some of the more arty stuff from my 15-minute interview didn’t get used, and that is slightly disappointing.

I understand why it is important for young people to think about tattoos before they get them, but I think that using this programme to explore the beauty of tattoos as art objects would make young people more aware of the amazing artists out there who they can get tattooed by. Opening people’s eyes to the the beauty of well done tattoos would do far more than telling a young person not to rush into getting tattooed (I know those are the exact words that came from my mouth, but I guess that’s TV and the wonders of editing!).

However I would love to be involved in more projects like this in the future, I thought it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. And seeing myself on screen wasn’t quite as painful as I thought it would be – although, is that what I really sound like?