Magazine

FANDOM – WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?

Tattoo Anansi
Tattoo Anansi
December 7, 2020 · 3 minutes
68

FANDOM – WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?

Today it’s supposed to be about “being a fan” and what steps fans are willing to take to pay homage to their idol. It goes without saying that this also applies to tattoos, because nothing brings you closer to your object of desire than having its likeness tattooed on your face. Australian singer Kelsey Karter is said to have done this with the head of One Direction singer Harry Styles earlier this year: she had him simply him tattooed on her right cheek and was what everyone was talking about. However, a short time later, this turned out to be a publicity stunt, Karter had only wanted to attract attention for her ownpiece of music, “Harry”. The tattoo, had been just a makeup dummy. But is there really such a fan cult where fans get their favorites or favorite brands tattooed? On a small scale, of course. For example, countless “Michael Jacksons” adorn many arms and legs. This is how the true fan proves his passion. The fact that some, in view of the latest revelations, would like to turn his “Michael Jackson” into another idol at the moment remains a marginal phenomenon. Because it is precisely the tattoo, as a lifelong sign of affiliation, that portrays its owner as a true fan, who stands for unwavering support to his idol even in the face of headwinds.


Fans, Kensey Harry Styles

The “fan” omen is referred to “fandom” omen, when the fan cult appears a bit exaggerated. If the faces of the stars are immortalized on the skin, that’s a good thing. You come out as a fan, show some of yourobsession, and see yourself as part of a movement. This only becomes problematic if it becomes a real competition to surpass the other fan. Then the fan base increases immeasurably, and especially the coat of arms, trademarks on the face are an expression of it. Many carriers hardly differ from an advertising pillar. Football fans excel in this regard. The football coat of arms or the entire jersey of the favorite club are completely tattooed on the chest. Or entire players are transferred to the skin, just like the French fan, who had the player N’Golo Kante tattooed on his back. That, in turn, brings me to a story that is really true. A girl had her father’s portrait tattooed over her back. Her boyfriend didn’t last long inthe relationship: the idea of spending every moment with his potential future father-in-law drove him to despair, so he left. In this case, the girl’s devotion to her father led to the end of her relationship. It is also the question of how to handle a fan tattoo in the relationship or partnership. What if the partner is not a FC_Bayern fan and a Lothar Matthäus looks constantlyfrom the upper arm of the loved ones. Or the girlfriend hates StarWars, and there are Luke Skywalker & Co. everywhere. Conclusion: The partner should not only be able to understand the fan cult, but be a fan of it himself; only then does everything fit together. So you can share your passion and have a deep understanding of possible fan actions.

For the stars, of course, this is all free advertising. This fine line, whether a tattoo is wanted for itself orjust for publicity for the star, disappears more and more, especially in time of Instagram. Nevertheless, it is advisable to think about how much fandom there should be in your own tattoos, how much you canreally represent, and not just on the energy of a foreign wave, which may soon come to an end. The individual and his decision for a particular tattoo always stand between self-determination and external determination.

Tattoo, Fans, Fan, Culture, Brands

(Text: Julian Bachmann)