It seems to me that although we already understand that tattoo is a part of the general artistic medium, all too often people’s attempts to do something more with tattoo just end up resulting in cheap attempts at whoring out the art form itself. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for taking tattoo and melding it into the greater artistic spectrum, but what I’m not in favour of is simply cashing in on the current popularity of tattoo in any way possible.
That’s why it’s nice to see a tattoo studio that I believe has their priorities in the right place. St. Petersburg, Florida tattoo studio Neo Soul has been operating as a tattoo studio since 2006 under the artistic eye of tattooist Aaron Morgan. In 2010, the shop relocated to a different area of St. Petersburg and Vita Lipari came onboard. Together, Morgan and Lipari have transformed Neo Soul into a place where a variety of art forms converge, creating a truly creative and progressive atmosphere that isn’t typically found in your standard tattoo studio.
‘Neo Soul started via Aaron Morgan’s genius. He wanted to change the stigma surrounding the tattoo industry. In doing so, he has created an environment that people are drawn to. His work speaks for itself and is a staple in the community. From his original passion, he is beginning to branch out and explore graphic design and fine art. Change is progression and this one man show has turned into a full fledge artistic showcase that Neo Soul is proud to host.’
In addition to tattoos, a visit to Neo Soul can provide a customer with jewelry, local art, house wares, body care products, ceramics and even custom tea blends. What I really like about all this is that the items that Neo Soul sells are very often from local artists and the items themselves aren’t simply an extension of tattoo - they are an extension of art. It’s a nice change up from the standard image of what a tattoo studio is, can be or should be. If you’re in the St. Petersburg area and you’re looking to check out a different take on the traditional tattoo studio, then check out Neo Soul!
September 30th, 2011 at 5:26 pm
Tatoos in the 21st century has become such a huge and popular way of expressing ones uniqueness and have become living works of art. I come from an era where a person only got a tattoo when they belonged to a biker gang, you had been in prison or you would get a tattoo if you wanted to profess your love for someone by tattooing their name on your skin. I love the way that today’s young people are wearing their tattoos with pride and it is almost considered a rite of passage into adulthood. Some of the tattoos that I have seen are so beautiful and sexy. The tattoo artists of today have literally made the human body their canvas. I was told once that the reason that it has become so popular is because it demonstrates one’s uniqueness and a way to express their inner self. Amazing!
I just want to say that I hope this isn’t a form of art that gets lost over the years. Can a person have the tattoos photographed and use it as a piece of art? How does an artist get his work out there? That was a stupid question, right? On the person they have tattoo’d! Anyway, I think you know what I mean. Keep it up, it definetly makes a person more interesting.