[LIST_61]
Thursday, 14th May, 2026
[LIST_61]
Thursday, 14th May, 2026
Russian criminal tattooing is inextricably linked to the history of the Soviet mafia and the world of organized crime. In the prisons and camps of the Gulag, criminals developed a parallel society with its own rules, language, hierarchy, and symbols. At the heart of this culture were the Vory v Zakone: the “thieves-in-law,” a veritable criminal aristocracy born in Soviet prisons.
Among the vory, tattoos served as a social passport. They immediately indicated rank, prison history, beliefs, and loyalty to the mafia code. Some tattoos were reserved for respected criminals, while others could mark humiliation or betrayal. Wearing a symbol without having “earned” it could lead to violent reprisals. But what makes Russian criminal tattooing so unique is also the place that the Orthodox religion occupies in this otherwise extremely violent world. Despite lives marked by crime, prison, and brutality, many inmates retained a deep, almost mystical faith. Tattoos of icons, the Virgin Mary, Christ, angels, or Orthodox cathedrals were ubiquitous in Soviet prisons.
Behind their very precise and codified meanings, these religious tattoos formed veritable living icons on these men of the shadows. They were perhaps the last light in this world of darkness.
credits: @gregorius1er
This 700-year-old Philippine fire mummy is one of the most fascinating examples of ancient human preservation and cultural expression. Discovered in the mountainous regions of Benguet, these mummies were created by the Ibaloi people using a unique fire-drying process that carefully preserved the body over centuries.
What makes this particular mummy even more striking is the presence of tattoos covering the body from head to toe. These tattoos were not merely decorative but held deep cultural, social, and spiritual meaning. In ancient Philippine societies, tattoos were a symbol of identity, bravery, status, and personal achievements. They were applied by hand using traditional tapping techniques, where natural pigments like charcoal were inserted into the skin using sharp tools such as thorns or bone instruments.
The process was painful and time-consuming, which made tattoos a sign of strength and endurance. In many cases, only respected individuals such as warriors, leaders, or elders had extensive tattoos, suggesting that this mummy may have been a person of importance within the community. Even after death, the tattoos remain visible due to the preservation method, offering a rare glimpse into the artistic and cultural practices of the past. The fire mummification process involved slowly drying the body over smoke and heat, which prevented decomposition and allowed the skin to retain its structure. As a result, details like tattoos, facial features, and posture have survived for hundreds of years. While the mummy’s appearance may seem intense or even unsettling today, it is actually a powerful representation of heritage, tradition, and human history.
It shows how ancient cultures used the body as a canvas to tell stories, mark achievements, and connect with their beliefs. Rather than something strange or frightening, this mummy stands as a reminder of a rich and meaningful tradition that continues to influence Filipino identity even today.
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[04] Beyond the streets
BEYOND THE STREETS PARIS
May 27–August 30 2026
LES LÉGENDES DU STREET ART ET DU GRAFFITI SONT À PARIS
BEYOND THE STREETS, the world’s most influential exhibition dedicated to graffiti, street art and subculture, opens at the Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris from May 27 and running through August 30,2026.
Spanning 3600 square meters of purpose built gallery space, this expansive exhibition featuring a dynamic retail space brings together over 100 internationally renowned artists, showcasing new and historic works alongside rare ephemera, archival fashion, and artist-driven installations—most created exclusively for this presentation.
Anchored in the far-reaching cultural impact of graffiti and street art, BEYOND THE STREETS is not a static exhibition but a living platform—one that traces how an underground movement reshaped cities, language, fashion, music and activism worldwide. From spray-painted subway trains to museum walls and global stages, the exhibition examines how artists once working without permission transformed visual culture on an unprecedented scale.
Every work in BEYOND THE STREETS is presented with the full consent of the artist or estate, often produced specifically for the exhibition. This commitment underscores a core principle of the project: graffiti’s history should be told with integrity, agency and respect. What was once criminalized now stands as a defining creative force of our time—a victory for artists, communities, and the culture itself.
[5]Katsu
KATSU is a graffiti artist who is active in New York City. He works with technology and public intervention to comment on commercialism, privacy and digital culture. As a result, his work includes traditional graffiti, digital media, and conceptual artwork.
Katsu Sawada (b. 1982, Honolulu, HI) is a Japanese-American new media artist who graduated from Parsons and works in Brooklyn. He has had a major impact in the graffiti and hacker communities in the past decade, blending technology with artistic talent and humour. His work has been featured in group shows at Fondation Cartier in Paris, France and Eyebeam in Brooklyn, NY, as well as in media outlets Wired, Juxtapoz, and CNN.
KATSU encourages the public to become participants and not just observers, by using his works as canvas for their own graffiti efforts.
photo credits: @indiecisivemoment
