- Paperback: 192 pages
- Publisher: powerHouse Books; Second Edition edition (April 9 2001)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 189045110X
- ISBN-13: 978-1890451103
- Product Dimensions: 27.7 x 21.6 x 1.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 771 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#256,223 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #11 in Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Gender Studies > Women in History
- #11 in Books > Nonfiction > Women's Studies > History
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Product Details |
Product Description
Book Description
"In this provocative work full of intriguing female characters from tattoo history, Margot Mifflin makes a persuasive case for the tattooed woman as an emblem of female self-expression."
—Susan Faludi
Bodies of Subversion is the first history of women’s tattoo art, providing a fascinating excursion to a subculture that dates back into the nineteenth-century and includes many never-before-seen photos of tattooed women from the last century. Author Margot Mifflin notes that women’s interest in tattoos surged in the suffragist 20s and the feminist 70s. She chronicles:
* Breast cancer survivors of the 90s who tattoo their mastectomy scars as an alternative to reconstructive surgery or prosthetics.
* The parallel rise of tattooing and cosmetic surgery during the 80s when women tattooists became soul doctors to a nation afflicted with body anxieties.
* Maud Wagner, the first known woman tattooist, who in 1904 traded a date with her tattooist husband-to-be for an apprenticeship.
* Victorian society women who wore tattoos as custom couture, including Winston Churchill’s mother, who wore a serpent on her wrist.
* Nineteeth-century sideshow attractions who created fantastic abduction tales in which they claimed to have been forcibly tattooed.
“In Bodies of Subversion, Margot Mifflin insightfully chronicles the saga of skin as signage. Through compelling anecdotes and cleverly astute analysis, she shows and tells us new histories about women, tattoos, public pictures, and private parts. It’s an indelible account of an indelible piece of cultural history.”
—Barbara Kruger, artist
—Susan Faludi
Bodies of Subversion is the first history of women’s tattoo art, providing a fascinating excursion to a subculture that dates back into the nineteenth-century and includes many never-before-seen photos of tattooed women from the last century. Author Margot Mifflin notes that women’s interest in tattoos surged in the suffragist 20s and the feminist 70s. She chronicles:
* Breast cancer survivors of the 90s who tattoo their mastectomy scars as an alternative to reconstructive surgery or prosthetics.
* The parallel rise of tattooing and cosmetic surgery during the 80s when women tattooists became soul doctors to a nation afflicted with body anxieties.
* Maud Wagner, the first known woman tattooist, who in 1904 traded a date with her tattooist husband-to-be for an apprenticeship.
* Victorian society women who wore tattoos as custom couture, including Winston Churchill’s mother, who wore a serpent on her wrist.
* Nineteeth-century sideshow attractions who created fantastic abduction tales in which they claimed to have been forcibly tattooed.
“In Bodies of Subversion, Margot Mifflin insightfully chronicles the saga of skin as signage. Through compelling anecdotes and cleverly astute analysis, she shows and tells us new histories about women, tattoos, public pictures, and private parts. It’s an indelible account of an indelible piece of cultural history.”
—Barbara Kruger, artist
About the Author
Margot Mifflin writes about women, art, and contemporary culture. She has written for The New York Times, The New Yorker, Entertainment Weekly, The Believer, and Salon.com, and she lectures about body modification at colleges, museums, and universities nationally. Mifflin is an associate professor in the English Department of Lehman College of the City University of New York (CUNY), and directs the Arts and Culture program at CUNY’s Graduate School of Journalism, where she also teaches. Her book The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman will be published by The University of Nebraska Press in March.
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Interesting Read But Visually Lacking...,
By Skinartia (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Bodies of Subversion: A Secret History of Women and Tattoo (Paperback)
This is an interesting historical review of women in the tattoo industry (both as collectors and tattooists). People I know, male and female, who are not "inked" even appreciated seeing such a book as I'm sure many people were not aware of heavily tattooed women being around in the late 1800s. The feminist point of view is wonderful. My partner, however, made a good point that I certainly cannot argue with: "Why is a book about tattoos not in colour?" I think the publication company should not have skimped on such an important aspect since the majority of pages have a photo on them. Most of the photos are good quality, but I think they would be more appreciated had they been in colour. Of course the photos don't necessarily "make" the book, but they are definitely an important highlight.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting info on two fascinating subjects,
By
This review is from: Bodies of Subversion: A Secret History of Women and Tattoo (Paperback)
Ok, I love women and I love tattoos. While my "woman" history is nobody's business but my own, I can say that I got my first tattoo at age 52 (8 years ago--you do the math) and now have a body full. Early on in my tat career, I devoured every book and mag I could find, looking for ideas (some would say "validation") and, frankly,got tired of the semi-salacious boob shots. I KNEW there was more to it than that (not that I mind boob shots, but that's another review)and this book really tells the story. While every woman under 40, and a good many over 50, that I meet has ink somewhere on her body these days, this book discusses the historical precedents in interesting and informative ways. It won't convert a "tattoo hater", and it won't be even remotely interesting to someone who isn't fascinated by tats, but those of us who are decorated MUST have this one in the library, betweenThe Tattooed Woman and Masters of Tattoo.
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best Tattoo Book For Women,
By TexasGirl (Central Texas) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Bodies of Subversion: A Secret History of Women and Tattoo (Paperback)
As a relatively newly tattooed woman, I have embraced the culture and am looking to learn more about it. This book showed me what it was like for women with tattoos through the ages. The book is extremely well written and researched and the photos are fabulous. The author goes into detail on the history of tattoos and the social stigmas attached to them as they relate to women - a fascinating read! If you are a woman who has tattoos or is thinking about getting one, I highly recommend this book. I work in an extremely conservative environment and was brought up to believe tattoos are evil and dirty, so I struggled with my decision to get my tattoos, but this book not only made me feel more comfortable with my decision, it helped me with new ideas for my backpiece :)
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