Brian's Ink Speaks About Art

I met Brian in Barnes & Noble, Union Square, back in August and he shared two tattoos with us. Put your thinking caps on, folks, because Brian, who is a video artist (website here), has very cerebral ink.

First up is this tattoo, on Brian's left biceps:

This tattoo is based on an illustration entitled "Every Night We Are Haunted by a Dream" by the artist Alfred Kubin (1877-1959).

Jede Nacht besucht uns ein Traum (Every Night We are Haunted by a Dream), ca. 1902-03
Pen and ink, brush, wash, and spray on paper
39.1 x 31.8 cm (15 3/8 x 12 1/2 in.)
Albertina, Vienna

Brian explained that this work corresponded very closely to the publication of Sigmund Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams, and that Kubin's illustration represents "art between the cusp of pre-surrealism/expressionism and surrealism". It speaks to Brian's understanding of the perception of dreams and art.

Brian also had these words inscribed on his inner right forearm:

The words "Créer Dangereusement" are the French title of a 1957 essay by Albert Camus entitled "Create Dangerously". This "essay on realism and artistic creation" likewise spoke to Brian who acknowledged that "all art is a political act". It makes perfect sense, if you think about it, in that no great work of art was ever created by the artist playing it safe. It is those who created dangerously that are remembered as trailblazers and icons in their respective fields.

Brian had both of these tattoos done in Austin, Texas.

Thanks to Brian for sharing his artistic ink with us here on Tattoosday!

leituras

"Não sabia que a liberdade não é uma recompensa, nem uma condecoração que se festeje com champanhe. Nem, aliás um presente, uma caixa de bombons para lamber os beiços. Oh!, não, é uma estopada, pelo contrário, e uma corrida de fundo, bem solitária, bem extenuante. Nada de champanhe, nada de amigos que ergam a sua taça, olhando-nos com ternura. Sozinhos numa sala sombria, sozinhos no banco dos réus, perante os juízes,e sozinhos a decidir e perante nós mesmos ou perante o juízo dos outros. Ao cabo de toda a liberdade, há uma sentença; eis porque a liberdade é pesada de mais, sobretudo quando se sofre de febre, ou nos sentimos mal, ou não amamos ninguém."

Albert Camus em A Queda