31 century museum around the world

Rita Marhaug

17026544041

This was my very first tattoo and it is my “personal number”. It was done in relation to one of my first performances. Shortly this was on the topic of identity and the body as subject/object.

RGB

The triangle of 3 spots, red, green and blue, was a kind of homage to my father who in is youth made this classic tattoo of 3 spots on one hand.

02.02.87

02.07.88

24.05.90

These numbers are the birthday of my kids. For the rest of my life they are imprinted into me, my body as well as my mind. This tattoo like the rest indicates that most things in life only happen  for a specific number of time. Modern humans like to think of life in flexible end reversible terms, excluding death. In my view most things including life itself, things are mostly in-reversible. Of course if you not believe in after life and re-incarnation.

RE, 1964-2004

This is a homage to my parents and their 40 years anniversary of being married. 1964 was also the year I was created in my mothers womb.

HERZ-SCHMERZ

Is German language and in English this is a very romantic expression: heart-pain. To me it is about life and art and some times I tell it was about my father who had his by-pas operation when I did this motive.

THE PICTURE OF SCYLLA & CHARYBDIS

On the inside of my upper arms the female monsters from the Odyssey are tattooed in red lines. They are not filled with color, and you will not immediately see the motive. These two figures often is referred to as the prototype of a no-win situation.

R SURROUNDED BY A CIRCLE

This could be the symbol of “Refused”, it is also the first letters in my own and my husband’s names.

THE COMPASS ROSE

This very classic motive on the back of my right hand does not carry the directions of north, south, east and west, but the initials of my closest family, (but not the dog). My grand father who was a fisher man used to have the traditional.

HARD WORK

At the moment this is my latest tattoo. It is placed on the knuckles and there for will most of the time be exposed to see for everybody. At what is supposed to be, statistically, half way through my Norwegian life I decided the time was right for this statement. It is both about work and personal life. Sometimes these spheres differ and sometimes they merge into each other. Any way to me it’s much about the same: hard work. (Part two is supposed to be Easy Life).