Untitled ["tattoo" book] 1971

This is a page from James McCracken Jr.'s "tattoo" book. A primal scene is evoked with the image of a tattoo machine, rendered in stark black lines against a neutral ground. The tattoo machine in itself transcends mere tool; it is a modern glyph, laden with cultural weight. The act of tattooing, historically a rite of passage, is here reborn in mechanical form. Think of the ancient practices of scarification, markings that signified belonging, identity. This symbol has been carried through time and changed from ritual to subculture. We may see the needle not only as a tool for self-expression, but also as a manifestation of deep-seated desires. The artist, like an ancient shaman, pierces the veil of the skin, marking the body as a canvas for the subconscious, linking to a past where such markings held spiritual power.