Studio Brief 2: Primary Reasearch

As primary research, I interviewed my brother, who you can see below. He believes in luck, bad luck, and karma quite strongly. He allowed me to interview him and find out more about his beliefs and the tattoos he has that have religious or superstitious connotations. Below are all the tattoos and bracelets that my brother owns, with a short explanation of them.

Friday the 13th Tattoo

The number thirteen has long been considered unlucky and sometimes even dangerous. Friday the 13th is credited with being the unluckiest day of the year, a 13th floor doesn’t even exist in most high-rise buildings, and having thirteen dinner guests at one table is said to have fateful results. The tarot card bearing the number thirteen (Roman numerals XIII) symbolizes death. 

According to Nordic legend, Loki (the Norse god of mischief) crashed a party of the gods he wasn’t invited to. Since he was the 13th attendee and, through trickery, caused the death of Balder the Good, it was determined that the number thirteen was evil. In biblical history, twelve disciples joined Jesus for the Last Supper. Judas, the last and thirteenth member to sit at the table, betrayed Jesus which eventually led to his crucifixion. These are just some of the theories as to why the number 13 has become such an unlucky number.

There are some cultures, however, that appreciate the number thirteen or even revere it as being a symbol of life, fertility, and good fortune. Judaism celebrates a young man’s coming of age when he turns thirteen.

Sometimes by itself or accompanied by a “lucky” symbol, the number 13 is often tattoo'd on people. It stems from the days of traditional tattooing and still remains one of, if not the, most popular numbers to have inked on one’s body. Many believe that it is a way to deter bad luck on friday the 13th.

Hamsa

A hamsa is an symbol shaped like a hand, with three extended fingers in the middle and a curved thumb or pinky finger on either side. It is thought to protect against the “evil eye” and is a popular motif in both Jewish and Middle Eastern jewellery.

 Many hamsas will have an eye displayed in the palm of the hand. The eye is thought to be a powerful talisman against the “evil eye.” The evil eye is a certain “look” that can cause bad luck for the person at whom it is directed. 

Other symbols that can appear on the hamsa include fish and Hebrew words. Fish are thought to be immune to the evil eye and are also symbols of good luck. Going along with the luck theme, “mazel” – meaning “luck” in Hebrew – is a word that is sometimes inscribed on the amulet.

Evil Eye

If we accidentally cut someone off in traffic, we may get a scowl or menacing glare in return. For most of us it is soon shrugged off, but in many places the evil eye is taken very seriously.

The evil eye is a human look believed to cause harm to someone or something else. The supernatural harm may come in the form of anything from a minor misfortune to disease, injury or even death. 

The evil eye is well known throughout history. It is mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman texts, as well as in many famous literary works, including the Bible (Proverbs 23:6: "Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats"), the Koran and Shakespeare.

The association of special powers with the eyes is not hard to fathom: Eyes, it is said, are the gateway to a person's soul. Shifting eyes are said to subtly betray liars, while a steady gaze may be endearing or menacing depending on the circumstances. 

Information found at: Live Science

Arrow Tattoo

The symbolism behind arrow tattoos is not so much about luck, but positivity and making positive choices, which in many peoples view is what luck is; positive attitude. My brothers explanation of his tattoo is: "An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backwards. When life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means its going to launch you into something great. So just focus and keep aiming. Its like when you hit rock bottom the only way you can go is up. When life drags you back, you can only go forwards."

Ganesh

 In Hinduism there is a belief of the Elephant God. He is one of five prime Hindu deities. 'Ganesh', as he is commonly called, is an elephant-headed god who has an extensive legend. He represents "perfect wisdom" and is highly loved and worshiped by his devotees. Ganesh is considered to be the "remover of obstacles" and a "bestower of prosperity (Gentz 382)." Ganesha is also called Ganapati. "Ga means ‘knowledge’, na means ‘salvation’, and pati ‘lord’ (Ganesha 1)". His image can be found at the entryway of temples and in places of business. Followers of Ganesh always pray to him before beginning any new venture in life to remove any obstacles that would block their way.

Elefante De La Suerte (The Elephant Of Luck)

The elephant is an ancient symbol of strength, protection and good luck. In feng shui, the elephant is also often used as a fertility cure.

The Cross of Christ

Many people carry a cross either around their knock on a necklace of a around their wrist. Although it isn't considered a 'lucky' thing to have on you. It is considered that god and jesus christ will look out for you.

Rocks

Many people carry a small stone or rock in their pocket or wallet at all times. This isn't considered lucky, but it is meant to keep you grounded as a person. Being grounded means being fully conscious and fully present in the now moment, and being aware of what is happening to us in the present. 

Thai Buddha

The Thai Buddha is a symbol which can represent many diferent things. The pos that the Buddha is in shows this. Whether it is in the single, double lotus position, or if it is it's hand are raised can mean different things. The pose refers to the "7 days of Buddha". Each pose refers to a single day. Traditionally it is believed that Buddha spent 7 days following his enlightenment thinking of the suffering of all living creatures and how unimportant his life was prior to reaching enlightenment. This Buddha is said to bring tranquility to the owner and a peace of mind. It is meant to bring luck, and ward off negative thoughts.