While tattoos have become a pop culture phenomenon in the last few years, there are still some parts of society that struggle to accept the culture.
“Finding My Tribe” is a Salt Lake Community College student documentary that follows a small group of individuals with tattoos as they find acceptance in a changing society. The film will be screened for the first time April 29 at South City Campus.
“Having tattoos make me feel like an individual, but also like I am part of a group,” says Taylor Dooce, the director of the film. “I can be anywhere and if I see anyone with tattoos we can just look at each other and connect in a way.”
“Finding My Tribe” focuses on society’s views toward tattoos and how they have evolved over time. Younger generations have embraced the tattoo culture and often see tattoos as an art form.
“It really depends on the person you are interacting with,” Dooce says. “It’s a lot different than it was twenty years ago. If I was in the grocery store back then people would go out of their way to avoid me, but now people will come up to me and ask about my tattoos.”
For a lot of people, tattoos tell their personal life story, chronicling where they’ve been, what they’ve seen or what they’ve been through.
“While they didn’t mean anything at the time I got them, something big will happen in my life that I can look back at that tattoo and remember that time in my life,” Dooce says. “For me, my tattoos are like a scrapbook of my life.”
Dooce hopes that audiences will enjoy “Finding My Tribe” and anyone who watches the film will gain a greater appreciation for tattoos both as an art form and a medium of personal expression.
“Finding My Tribe” will be screened April 29 at 7 p.m. in room 1-084 of the Center for Arts and Media at South City Campus. Admission is free to the public.
