Secrets of Ink #5

This is a Malaysian tapir that I wear on my left leg, right next to my Amaryllis tattoo. It was designed by the extraordinary Sven Kleist from Dortmund. 

 

I loved tapirs since we played a game where you had to guess which animal you are and I started to realize how cool they actually are. And that they are somehow cute. It also became a symbol of friendship for my best friend Janis and me.

I wanted it tattooed to symbolize my idea of beauty. Because I believe that beauty does not mean the classic vision of it that most of us have. Beauty can be so much more. It comes from within. It is only defined by your very personal view of it. Beauty can be anything we want it to be. So a tapir can very well be beautiful.

It is embedded in a jungle theme because I’m planning to get that whole leg tattooed and it should all fit together quite nicely with the next special things I have in mind. It also reflects on how I feel tangled and lost sometimes (and yes, this is a reference).