Sun
"Now, it's less of an anchor and more of a reminder that I survived all of those cloudy days."
Tattoo You
Semioticians analyze symbols, so we've asked 25 of our semio colleagues from around the world to explain the symbolism of… one of their own tattoos.
Faded Star
"This small mark connects my younger self with today, and reminds me of my dreams…"
Emberá Blackout
"The darkness was no longer a concealment; it was a deep connection."
Resistance & Surrender
"The tattoo has become a map of two existential modes — striving and surrender, pursuit and free-fall."
Part-Time People Person
"That's what I wanted to commemorate: the way our lives intersect with the people around us…"
Falling Angel
"Though our actions may be predetermined by forces we cannot perceive, Paradise Lost teaches us, while plummeting towards our fate we can at the very least swerve."
Liminal Roots
"A personal reminder that I carry rootedness with me wherever I go…"
The Song of the Butterfly
"A declaration that my neurospiciness isn’t a flaw; it’s the power source of my unique perception, creativity and way of life."
In the Untethered
"My daily reminder that I am exactly who I think I am: an unconventional woman."
Kalinga Redox
"For a tourist like myself to get a traditional tattoo from Apo Whang-Od's successor involves reduction or oxidation…"
Henna Hand
"The natural pigment, time, warmth, and the body determine the shape and colouring of the mark."
Family Star
"It was a spontaneous decision at the end of a glorious trip and that’s enough."
Layered Fragment
"A symbol of innocence, endurance, and the ability to thrive in ordinary places."
Polymorphous
"It influences me to better adapt to different contexts and keep evolving…"