Nicholas Craig column

May 20 2005 By Nicholas Craig, The Journal

It's difficult to avoid the tattoos, body piercings and bejewelled nail extensions that adorn so many local women and men's bodies.

It's a thriving new sector, which is creating a new generation of entrepreneurs with new businesses opening in our cities.

Once the preserve of burly seamen with anchors on their biceps, tattooed ladies from circus side-shows or tribal groups, body art appears to be taking over our high streets. If you want to personalise your nails, there is a long waiting list for an appointment in Newcastle's nail and beauty shops. There is an equally long number of ladies' backs sporting the names of boyfriends whose durability may not match that of the tattoos.

What will the newly-tattooed think of their designed flesh in 50 years' time? "What's that tattoo on your arm mean, granddad?' `Ah, well, it says I'm going to take over the world in Chinese.' `Who's Callum 4ever' grandma?' `No-one you know, dear.'

For some, tattooing seems to go more than skin-deep. Tattoo artists write of the `self-empowerment' tattoos bring, establishing an `identity for the self'. Because they are permanent, they say, no-one will ever be able to take them away from you. This sounds to me like Californian cant, exploiting those with personal identity problems, who may have to dig deep in years to come to erase the offending design.

All this body tampering is a screaming sign that we don't - to use the essential California phrase - feel good about ourselves. There was a time when sentimentality meant wearing your heart on your sleeve. Now it's more likely to be carved into the nape of your neck. However aesthetically pleasing the result, tattooing and body piercing remain self-mutilation.

David Beckham's body artwork has changed tattoos from being signs of rebellion to being must-have (for some) fashion accessories. The cult of body adornment is becoming part of the establishment.

Even Selfridges in London now offers a tattoo and body-piercing concession called Metal Morphosis. Among its offerings is the 8mm "Vibratongue" vibrating tongue stud, advertised with the legend "Rev it up anywhere and everywhere!" Body art is big business. It's good to see new companies start up and thrive in the region. As long as they are regulated and youngsters are dissuaded from pursuing rash ideas in indelible ink, I hope they do well, 4ever.