Photographic Conviviality: A Synchronic and Symbiotic Photographic Experience through a Body Paint Workshop

TL;DR

This work investigates Photo Tattooing and Photographic Conviviality, a method that prints instant photographs onto mesh screens to create body art, challenging conventional photography's objectivity and social function. It introduces a self-built instant camera workflow that outputs CMYK stencil meshes for silkscreen application and validates the approach through a three-hour body-painting workshop with questionnaires and optional interviews. Key contributions include a historical framing of photography-tattoo convergence, a practical mesh-output camera system, and empirical evidence of new expressive forms and convivial social dynamics. The findings show that embedding photos into the body redefines photography as a physical, interactive medium, expands self-expression, and fosters intimate, collaborative experiences that reframe the role of images in contemporary culture.

Abstract

This study explores "Photo Tattooing," merging photography and body ornamentation, and introduces the concept of "Photographic Conviviality." Using our instant camera that prints images onto mesh screens for immediate body art, we examine how this integration affects personal expression and challenges traditional photography. Workshops revealed that this fusion redefines photography's role, fostering intimacy and shared experiences, and opens new avenues for self-expression by transforming static images into dynamic, corporeal experiences.

Figures (10)

• Figure 1: (a) A woman applying her portrait to her cheek using our method. (b) The camera we developed, in three colors matching the output images. (c) The body painting process. (d) A workbench with the produced meshes.
• Figure 2: Fusion of photography and coloring: (a) Utagawa Kuniyoshi's "Water Margin" inspired ukiyo-e with heroic figures bearing full-back tattoos, influencing people like (b) firefighters and rickshaw pullers. (c) Beato's "Yokohama Photography" used hand-colored photos with Japanese aesthetics. Contemporary artists like (d) Kathy Vargas ("Mi Alamo") and (e) Jan Saudek ("This Star is Mine") applied hand-coloring techniques, expanding photographic expression in art.
• Figure 3: The Development and Transition of Photography and Tattoos
• Figure 4: Artists camouflage their bodies within natural landscapes, integrating into photographs. The final artwork is the photograph, and effects vary with background color. Hikaru Cho's works draw motifs on a deep black base; photographing against black creates an illusion where motifs stand out and the body seems translucent.
• Figure 5: System components: compact thermal printer, Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, Camera Module v3, and 3D-printed casing. The Raspberry Pi handles image capture, server communication, and printer control. The camera captures images sent to the server. The casing is 3D-printed.