CONSTELLATION SEARCH
A tattoo project by Oliver of the Sky

Constellations delineate regions of the night sky as seen from Earth. Colloquially, they refer to groups of stars and other 'celestial bodies', that are perceived to be related to one another. Human cultures in all parts of the world and throughout history have charted constellations, projecting patterns, forms and images onto the vast 'disorder' of the celestial sphere. These have often held great significance in mythology, spirituality, notions of time, and navigation. The 88 officially recognised western constellations are based on those passed down from the ancient Greek tradition, which include the 12 signs of the Zodiac.

In Constellation Search, I seek to direct this process of perception away from the night sky and towards the human body. In a collaborative process, I find and map relations not between stars, but freckles and moles on participant's bodies. These newly discovered constellations are then permanently represented by tattooing subtle dotted lines between the freckles and moles grouped together. They are then appropriately named, documented and added to an online catalogue. My intention is to eventually also produce this catalogue in print.


(Click to view the gallery)

The tattoos are executed using a 'stick-and-poke' technique, with emphasis on consent, comfort, and hygiene. They take approximately 15 minutes to map and prepare, and 15 minutes to tattoo. They are permanent.

oliverofthesky[at]googlemail[dot]com

oliverofthesky.tk