Russian Mafia Tattoos

Images from the russian Criminal Encyclopedia

Just found an amazingly site about Russian mafia tattoos. I keep on thinking about tattoo designs, and I like the images of power and fear in Russian images. There is something rather different about Russia, especially with the mix of Asian and European imagery and developing a new beautiful style. Their tattoos aren't the tear drop symbols of murder or other images I associate with British and western criminality.

The particularly skinny nature of them is due to malnourishment, quite a contrast from the muscle madness of my stereotype vision of a prisoner. Many of these individuals had torturous past lives and their tattoos are testament to this. Pornography, politics, alcohol, violence and religion all feature in the motifs depicted. I like the grim reality Sergei produces.

Sergei Vasiliev a prison warden, alongside other prison wardens and ethnographer Danzing Badaev compiled thousands of drawings and photos from 1948 to 2005. Supported by the KGB they produced a beautiful collection of images showing an amazing aspect of Russian history that would have likely been forgotten. In 2003, The publisher fuel, compiled these images in the Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopaedia. I hope you enjoy the images.

 

Terry World - Terry Richardson

Terry Richardson, an infamous leader in the fashion photography world. His disgusting and vulgar nature provides the appeal to his work. Selections of his works are so perverse, they would not be legally sold as pornography. Despite this reputation which generates much public disgust he is grossly in demand. Top magazines are clamouring to feature his work whilst celebrities fight to be the latest feature.

His celebrity models have stretched the entire cultural spectrum from the usually risqué Macauley Culkin and Jackass cast to respected figures such as Barack Obama. the level of perversion alters dependent on the clientele allowing him to work with such a wide cast.










I recently purchased his book Terryworld which includes many of his most profane works. Some of the images were described as disgusting by members of my house; however I failed to see the book as shocking. Instead i found it rather amusing, particularly the photo below.


This publication to me marks a change in society. Where such levels of crude imagery become normalised. A variety of online and offline stockists have sold this book to much success; quantifying our taste for such images. His works stretches the limits of 'art' to the extreme without using this as the selling point.

A talented photographer and truly modern individual he represents the forefront of western culture today.

For more Pictures see theBlog;Main Website

1984 - George Orwell

George Orwell - 1984 is one of the best books i've read in ages. His ability to predict a future world of Socialist controlled era. Oceania which encompasses the Americas and the United Kingdom. Big Brother controls the people of London through Telescreens which hear and see all that the inhabitants do. The Thought Police through a complex torture method reduce people to shells to obey the principles of Big Brother. The world is in a constant war to use up resources, which can be mass produced thanks to the industrial revolution, and stop an increase in living standards for all which would remove the caste system that exists. This Book is a definite must read.