Yantra: The Sacred Ink – Project history

February 7, 2015

My first encounter with the world of sak yant (yantra tattooing) was at the famed Wat Bang Phra temple in Nakorn Chaisi on the day of its Wai Khru ceremony. This was back in 2003, early on during my stint in Thailand, covering the event for a magazine feature; not knowing then, that I would later go much deeper and embark on one of the most ambitious projects of my career, “Yantra: The Sacred Ink”.

From the series “Yantra: The Sacred Ink” Untitled 1: 40×40″ Edition of 10 – Galerie Olivier Waltman

Over the years, I grew more intrigued by local beliefs in magic and how widespread, across all social divides, superstition was in the south east Asian region. I wanted to work on a personal project to explore this and discover how local spiritual traditions often incorporate magic and superstitions. In Thailand, I was particularly curious about people’s need to seek “protection” from bad luck, evil spirits and danger by using sacred and “magic” text, or “Yantra”.

The “wai khru” day (literally honor the teacher ceremony or master day). On this auspicious day, believers come to show respect to both living and dead tattoo masters. Held once a year in March 50 km west of Bangkok in Nakon Chaisi, Wat Bang Phra Temple’s ceremony is quite a spectacle and the place to witness “Khong Khuen” (animal Spirit possession), when tattooed men are “possessed” by the spirit of their tattoos.

Yantra is often written on cloth, used to bless cars, homes and businesses. But it also adorns the human body in the shape of spiritual tattoos known as Sak Yant (Yantra tattoos). It is an age old tradition, with historical records as old as 200 BC, from the Chinese Qin Dynasty depicting tattooed men in the region. The spiritual Yantra or Sak Yant tattoo tradition (Sak means to tap, whilst yant is derived from the Sanskrit word yantra, meaning scared geometrical design), is practiced across southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. The complex spiritual landscape in the region incorporates elements of Buddhist, Brahman, Hindu and Animist traditions.

The first portrait session happened by chance when, on assignment, I met a shipyard worker, inked head to toe with script and magic spells, and arranged to return the following week with a 6×6 medium format camera.

Two images from the first roll of that session with the shipyard worker. Shot in 2008 – (40×40″ – editions of 10) – Galerie Olivier Waltman

I was later introduced to tattoo masters who eventually allowed me to witness and photograph countless ceremonies, blessings and tattooing sessions.

L: A tattoo master at work in Bangkok R: A child blessing at a Bangkok tattoo master’s “samnak” (studio)

I then began seeking out sitters all over Thailand to photograph them for the large format portrait series featured in ‘Yantra: The Sacred Ink’.

L: Portrait 6, Muay Thai boxer, Bangkok R: Portrait 13, Monk, Ayuthaya Province 30×40″ – editions of 10 – Galerie Olivier Waltman

Shot on a 4×5” camera the series of black-and-white portraits – the negatives of which are chemically altered by brushing various chemicals onto the emulsion, depict men from all walks of life and all ages, proudly showing the inked protection on their bodies.

The ‘Yantra: The Sacred Ink’ project was officially first launched on May 25th 2011, with a major exhibition at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University Art center, featuring 56 black & white prints, a multimedia display with images and sound as well as antique Yantra shirts (historically used by Thai soldiers for protection in battle) loaned by the Museum Siam.

Extract from the short film “Yantra: The Sacred Ink’ – Currently on show at musée du quai Branly in Paris, (May 2014 – October 2015) and on show at Tropen museum in Amsterdam from March 20th to August 20th 2015

Selected Exhibitions:

Natural History Museum, Los Angeles |‘Tattoos’ Nov 19 2017 – Apr 15 2018

Field Museum | Chicago ‘Tattoos’ Oct 17, 2016 – Sept 4, 2017

Tropen Museum, Amsterdam | ‘Body Art II’, March 2017 – Dec 2018

Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto | ‘Tattoos’ April to Sept 2016

MAS | Museum aan de Stroom, Antwerp | ‘Body Art’ Feb 16 – April 17 2016

Museum of Folk Art, Santa Fe | ‘Sacred Realm’ Feb 28, 2016 to March 19, 2017

Olympia, London | Art 16 May 19-22, 2016

Tropen Museum, Amsterdam | ‘Body Art’, March 20th | August 20th 2015

Musée du Quai Branly, Paris | ‘Tatoueurs, tatoués’, May 6th 2014 | Oct 18th 2015

Galerie Olivier Waltman, Paris | ‘Yantra: The Sacred ink’ May-Jun 2014

Galerie Olivier Waltman, London Art Fair, Jan 2014

Festival Photo Saint-Germain-des-Prés Galerie Olivier Waltman, Paris | Nov 2013

Le Magasin de Jouets, Arles | ‘Sacred Ink’ July – Sept 2013

SNAP Photo Festival, Orlando | ‘Sacred Ink’ May 2013

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Farmani Gallery, Bangkok | ‘Sacred Ink’ Nov 2012 – Jan 2013

Brunei Gallery London – SOAS | ‘Sacred Ink, The Tattoo Master’ Oct Dec 2012

Chulalongkorn University Art Centre Bangkok | ‘Sacred Ink’ May 2011

For more info and photographs of the exhibitions, click here

Selected Print publications

“Tattoo” – Actes Sud / Musée du quai Branly

“Encre Sacrée” – Geo Magazine, France

“L’art dans la peau” – Le Monde Magazine, France

“Carving Spirituality” – Picture Power, Newsweek Japan

“Grand designs” – Spectrum – The Sunday Times Magazine

“Yantra: The Sacred Ink” – January Art Magazine, Australia

Yantra: The Sacred Ink” – The Trip Magazine – Italy

“Yantra: The Sacred Ink” Hey! Modern Art and Pop Culture – France

More publications

Online features, interviews & profiles:

Slate Magazine
France Fine Art
Arts hebdo
Boat Magazine
Die Nacht
Wayne Ford
Newsweek / Daily Beast
Lomography
Lens Culture
Actu Photo
Artsper
Vogue.fr
Jetez L’encre
Ein Dutzend
Sport et Style
Artslandstreet
Art Market Review

Excerpts from reviews

” There’s a certain unnerving juxtaposition about Cedric Arnold’s photography. There is an obvious potency, or aggression – men standing in various stages of undress, stoic, staring, unblinking; yet there is a reverence or calm that provides depth and intrigue.” – January Art Magazine

“Arnold’s powerful, yet sensitive portraits present a mystical subculture through its rituals, and symbols; a chest etched with a fierce leaping tiger, a hand adorned with images of geckos on each finger, a back protected by a monkey God, or a shoulder inscribed with ancient Khmer text…” – Wayne Ford

Gallery representation / Paris

Olivier Waltman

Short Film – Yantra: The Sacred Ink

August 19, 2014

Now available to view on Vimeo – This short – 4:34 minute cut of the film Yantra: The Sacred Ink uses footage shot between 2008 and 2014, it shows the tattooing process and ceremonies attached to the tradition, as well as the state of trance, or “Khong Khuen” (animal SpiritIt also helps to increase low cost viagra semen production naturally and safeguards sperms. If it caused by the long redundant http://appalachianmagazine.com/2017/03/06/why-you-have-so-many-ladybugs-in-your-home/ viagra uk prepuce, you can do a surgery to improve the problem. cheap viagra soft buying this You may be prescribed medication if the other options do not always work. Some of them cialis stores are- The causes of erectile dysfunction. possession), tattooed devotees enter when “possessed” by the spirit of their tattoos.

The full version of the film will be released at a later date. For more info on the photographic project Yantra: The Sacred Ink, as well as exhibitions please visit this page: cedricarnold.com/portfolio/photographs/yantra-the-sacred-ink/

Quai Branly – Tatoueurs, tatoués exibition

May 12, 2014

Paris’ Musée du quai Branly launched its Tatoueurs, tatoués exhibition last week. The biggest of its kind, the 18 month long exhibition features photographs, films, original tattoo artwork on synthetic silicone skins and antique objects from all over the world illustrating the art of tattooing from its very origins and oldest traditions to modern practice.

Visitors at the Thai section of the exhibition which features my short film Yantra: The Sacred Ink and 4 prints from the series of the same name.

The museum, along with the flamboyant curators Anne et Julien, the people behind art and pop culture magazine Hey! enlisted the help of anthropologists, historians and modern tattoo artists to source an impressive, comprehensive and fascinating collection.

Here are some of my favorites from the exhibition

L: Maras portrait, 2006 © Serie Maras, 2006. Isabel Muñoz. R: Traditional Japanese tattoo © Photo: Tatttooinjapan.com / Martin Hladik.

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Portrait of an Algerian woman, Algeria, 1960. © Marc Garanger, artist’s private collection.

19-Tatoueurs-tatoues-the-biggest-tattoo-art-exhibition-in-the-world-yatzer

Tryptic of Japanse prints: the dual. The prints represent two Kabuki theatre actors in a dual against a winter backdrop. Realised by Toyohara Kunichika (1835-1900). The actor on the right is Ichikawa Danjurô, in the rôle of Kumonryû Shishin, a mythical figure tattooed with nine dragons. The actor on the right is Ichikawa Sadanji in the role Kaoshyôrochishin, covered in a Kaidô flower tattoo representing the family of roses. Edo and beginning of Meiji periods, year 18 of the Meiji era, Japan © Musée du quai Branly, photo: Claude Germain.

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Women wearing tattoos and costumes. Photographer: anonymous. © CORBIS Bettmann.

12-Tatoueurs-tatoues-the-biggest-tattoo-art-exhibition-in-the-world-yatzer

Images from the ‘Recueil Lacassagne’, 1920-1940 © Gdalessandro/ENSP.

L: Captain Costentenus tatooed by order of Yakoob-Beg, 19th century © Fonds Dutailly, Ville de Chaumont. R: Traditional Japanese tattoo © Photo: Tatttooinjapan.com / Martin Hladik.

The exhibition’s catalogue, published both in English and French is a beautiful 300 page hard cover volume. I am very proud to have my image on the cover.

‘Yantra: The Sacred Ink’ Teaser

Le Monde Magazine feature on Tatoueurs, tatoues

May 2, 2014

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Yantra – Short film

April 24, 2014

The teaser for ‘Yantra: The Sacred Ink’, to be premiered at Musée du quai Branly’s TATOUEURS,You can browse through the categories and their symptoms thoroughly. viagra pfizer pharmacie A healthy sexual life is nothing but inflammation of prostate gland, plaguing men pfizer viagra australia frequently. In many cases it is found buy levitra visit for info that if a man is physically fit means if he does not have any disease like heart problems, hypertension, diabetes etc., and still he suffers from ED, the reason of his problem can be related with the way he plays, he says. During sexual arousal, the brain discharges a hormone that dilates the sildenafil in india blood vessels around the male genital area is restricted or blocked. TATOUÉS exhibition on May 6th is live on Vimeo.

Tatoueurs, tatoués catalogue

April 2, 2014

I am happy to announce that my portrait of a muay Thai fighter has been chosen for the cover of the Tatoueurs, tatoués exhibition catalogue at Paris’ musée du quai Branly.

Published by Actes Sud in Arles, the 300 page hard cover book features selected works from the exhibition and details the history and practice of tattooing from around the world. Available in May at the museum’s book shop all good art book stores in Paris and France; the catalogue also has an English version.
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Musée du quai Branly show

January 23, 2014

I am happy to announce my participation in Paris’ musée du quai Branly ‘s “Tatoueurs, tatoués” (Tattooists, tattooed) exhibition May 2014 – Oct 2015 –

The 18 month long show examines the history of tattooing from all over the world, as well as the current renaissance of the practice. Visuals in the form of large format prints and multi-media from ‘Yantra: the Sacred Ink’ will be on show to illustrate the yantra tattoo tradition. More details on the content of the show soon.

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Festival Photo Saint-Germain-des-Prés

October 21, 2013

I am happy to announce my participation in this year’s Festival Photo Saint-Germain-des-Prés with a solo show, taking place this November in Paris.

The show ‘Yantra: The Sacred Ink’ will be on from Nov 6th to 23rd at Galerie Olivier Waltman. For more information on the festival, featuring the work of Susan Meiselas, Frank Horvat, Lucien Clergue, Sergio Larrain and Vivian Maier. Visit the official site (in french) – or visit this page on Lens Culture in English.

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‘Sacred Ink’ on show in Arles

July 2, 2013

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‘Sacred Ink’ in Orlando

April 14, 2013

‘Sacred Ink’ will be part of this year’s Snap Orlando festival in May – More info here:
http://snaporlando.com/exhibits/

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View info on the ‘Sacred Ink’ exhibitions – See the series’ showcase

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