The Tattoo (Ta Moko)
According to myths from maori tattoos originated from a love affair of Mataora and Niwareka. Unfortunately, the two lovers had a fight and Mataora beat Niwareka. Mataora was filled with guilt after beating her lover and he went running after her. He was successful to arrive at her father’s realm but his face was dirty after his journey (Gemori 1). Niwareka’s family mocked him for his untidy appearance. After long persuasion to Niwareka’s, he was forgiven and was taught the art of tattooing and Taniko by Niwareka’s father. The two lovers went back to the human world having learnt Ta moko and taniko works of art.
Ta moko signifies traditional tattooing of maori on the face. The purpose of this work of art is sacred since it is a treasure to Maori. All moko have ancestral teachings as the wearer find them to be sacred. The message conveys information of the wearer’s family and their significance in the social settings. The message from Moko also reveals the wearer value through genealogy and the knowledge they have in social settings.
Ta moko as an art had declined during the 20th century but it is reviving in the present times. This form of art is significant among the Maori because it has a sense of culture to this community. Currently Ta moko is more than a fashion since it shows the roots of people and their origin. The art gives a sense of direction to people and the means they chose to get there.
Maori tattoo is known as moko and it reflects its surrounding culture. It is a skin form of art of the maori. The difference between a tattoo and moko is that tattoo uses ink and it is needles where moko entails scarring of the skin to identify a Maori wearer (Hudson 2). Moko is a kind of affirmation towards culture. All moko symbols have meaning and are considered as visual language linking the wearer to genealogy. People get moko on the face because the head is considered the most sacred part of the body. People who wear moko on the face cannot deny who they are.
Orlan
Orlan is an artist who uses her body to make carnal art through plastic surgery. She transforms her face into different appearance but she does not intend to attain a standard of beauty. She is the only artists who works with her body and questions her status in the society. She named herself saint orlan in the year 1971 (Jeffries 2). During the same year, she decorated her body with curling draperies of black and white leatherette. She showed these costumes in Miami during the year 1972. She later started wearing costumes that are more complex at tableaux stages.
Carnal Art
Carnal art is self-portrait that is identified through technology of its time. In entails figuration and disfiguration through inscribing flesh, that makes it possible during our time. It is no longer the ideal sense it represented since the body is readily modified. Other styles are overtaken by carnal art because it does not have social pressures put on human body (Rose 2). Ornal has established art projects in nine operations that change her appearances. All this changes of her appearances are known as saint orlan.
Carnal art does not support Christian tradition since it points to rebell towards Christianity. This form of art believes that Christianity denies the body pleasures thus it exposes naked body in space through scientific discoveries. Carnal art does not copy from hagiography rather it contributes more than it takes away. This form of art does not reduce it powers but rather it expands its powers. Carnal art changes the body into language by contradicting the Christian principle of flesh expressed to word rather it makes word into flesh.
Comparison
Both Ta moko and carnal art have similarities and differences. Ta moko is done on the skin to pass a message just as carnal art is done on the skin to pass information. These two forms of art are performed on the skin to communicate certain messages. Therefore, Ta moko and carnal art use the body as form of language. Ta moko and carnal art is done on the face and other parts of the body. It involves scarring of the skin and other parts of the body, thus it is a painful process.
Ta moko is different from carnal art since it passes sacred information while carnal art is rebellious against religion. Ta moko is more of traditional while carnal art adapts to modern technology. The goal of carnal art is to change appearance of an individual while Ta moko art identifies a person to particular social settings. Ta moko form of art has meaning as opposed to carnal art, which is interested in making a person look more appealing. It does not change the physical appearance of a person but carnal form of art changes the way a person looks as time passes. To moko does involve plastic surgery but uses needles.
Works Cited
Gemori, Roberto. The Tattoo (Ta Moko). 2008.
Hudson, Karen. Ta Moko Maori Tattoo. 2001.
Jeffries, Stuart. Orlan's art of sex and surgery. 2009.
Rose, Barbara. Orlan: is it art? Orlan and the transgressive act. 1993
