Trash polka explained

Trash Polka is a tattoo style created by tattoo artists Simone Pfaff and Volker Merschky in Würzburg, Germany.[1] [2] The characteristics of Trash Polka tattoos can be a combination of naturalistic, surrealistic,[3] and photorealistic motifs with graphic, lettering, and calligraphic elements primarily in black & red.[4]

Technique

Trash polka is a mixed media form of tattooing that is created with various, non-limited components.[5] Detailed photo-realistic portraits can be displayed in conjunction with graphic elements such as large black areas, brush strokes, and geometric or abstract shapes.[6] [7] The tattoos are traditionally inblack and red, but other colors can be used as well.[8] The style is often cited for its use of color contrasts, such as complementary contrast, that create an optical effect.[9] [10] Abstract designs and realistic motifs are key elements of the tattoo style. It is common for lettering to be included in the tattoos with distinctive varieties of fonts. The majority of original Trash Polka tattoos are done as large scale pieces in order to suit the motifs and elements.[11]

History

The term 'Trash Polka' was created in 1998 by Volker Merschky and Simone Pfaff at Buena Vista Tattoo Club in Würzburg.[12] The artists originally gave their work the name 'Realistic Trash Polka' because they combined realistic images (Realistic), with graphic, lettering and other artistic layers (Trash).[13] They chose to use it in a musical sense, combining everything together like a composition (Polka).[14] After some time, they shortened the name to Trash Polka because they did not want to set rules for their style.[15] Merschky has referred to their style as a “combination of realism and trash; the nature and the abstract; technology and humanity; past, present, and future; opposites that they are trying to urge into a creative dance to harmony and rhythm in tune with the body."[16] The initial challenges were two-fold: customers wanting to get tattoos in this style were scarce, as there was nothing similar to thisstyle at the time.[17]

Volker Merschky and Simone Pfaff

After Merschky studied interior design and Pfaff worked as a graphic designer, they both began tattooing. They are also painters, photographers[18] and musicians.[19] The couple are known to have broken the stereotypes of the classic German tattoo style.[20] They have mixed different styles together such as realistic and graphic tattoos.[21] For example, they would cross a portrait with black lines or insert lettering over a photographic image. They would use meaningful words or bold colour strokes to create powerful visualrepresentations.[22] This created vibrant contrast on the skin and made the tattoos stand out.[23]

Over time 'Trash Polka' began to receive global recognition & appeared in articles in tattoo magazines, books and websites.[24] Merschky and Pfaff said "We need open minded customers who can lay their hands off and trust us", but they admitted that many people get offended. The process is usually as follows: A customer comes into the studio, tells them their thematic idea and possible keywords from a song, poem or quote that they want included. Merschky and Pfaff then sit down on the computer, create two to three designs and presents it to the customer. They explained their thought process; "If we only did what people want, we would never have been able to develop anything new," says Merschky. Some of the elements that they use in the tattoos today, they painted years ago.[25] From then on, Merschky and Pfaff influenced many tattoo artists around the world with their style.[26] First in Europe, then Russia, Asia, South America, Australia and in the United States as well.[27]

Trash Polka Trademark

The name 'Trash Polka' is a word creation[28] and registered trademark by Volker Merschky and Simone Pfaff.[29] [30] [31]

Literature

Books

Magazines

Museum Catalogs

Music: Dobbs Dead

Dobbs Dead is a music project done by the two artists. Their music, which combines alternative music with American folk / country music with European influences, is characterized by a dark, melancholy feel that they call "post-mortem folk" music.[56] Pfaff played the pump organ and Merschky the guitar / harp / drums, and vocals were done by both of them.[57] They had finished their debut album Birth in the fall of 2010, which include 11 songs of original compositions.[58] [59] With their music project, they also performed live regularly with changing band members.[60]

Art exhibitions

Websites

Videos

References

Content in this edit is translated from the existing German Wikipedia article at ; see its history for attribution.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Artists – Trash Polka Tattoo.
  2. (German)Web site: Buena Vista Tattoo Club.
  3. Web site: Explained and Illustrated – KickAss Things. 29 January 2014 .
  4. Book: Scandinavian Tattoo Magazine. 2009. 31. 90.
  5. (German)Web site: Trash Polka: Ein wild-kreativer Tattoostil, der in Würzburg geboren wurde – Klonblog.
  6. Book: Rise Tattoo Magazine. 84. 07.
  7. (German)Book: Der tätowierte Leib: Einschreibungen in menschliche Körper zwischen ... Gunhild Häusle – Paulmichl – Google Books. 9783658179892. Häusle-Paulmichl. Gunhild. 6 July 2017.
  8. Web site: Buena Vista Tattoo Club – Studio Profile / Big Tattoo Planet.
  9. Book: Rise Tattoo Magazine. 86. 07.
  10. Web site: Trash Polka Tattoos – Inked Magazine / Part 2.
  11. (German)Web site: Trash-Polka / Tattoo Magazin App.
  12. Web site: Artists – Trash Polka Tattoos by Volko Merschky & Simone Pfaff.
  13. Web site: The Treasure in the Trash / Speakeasy Tattoo / Los Angeles Tattoo Shop / Scott Glazier.
  14. Web site: Buena Vista Tattoo Club – Studio Profile / Big Tattoo Planet.
  15. Web site: What is the Trash Polka Style? – Inked Cartel.
  16. Web site: Tattoo Styles: Three Trending Styles Across Tattoo History – Find the best tattoo artists, anywhere in the world.. 13 September 2015 .
  17. (German)Web site: Tattoo-Kunst in Deutschland: Die groß Freiheit auf der Haut – Goethe – Institut.
  18. News: When tattoo artists put down the needle – in pictures / Art and Design / The Guardian. The Guardian . 7 July 2014 .
  19. Web site: Dobbs Dead – Post Mortem Folk by Volker Merschky and Simone Pfaff.
  20. Web site: All You Need to Know about Trash Polka Tattoos.
  21. Web site: An introduction to the trash polka style / Inkluded.
  22. Web site: Juxtapoz Magazine – Buena Vista Tattoo Club.
  23. (German)Web site:
    • WIN* Tätowierte T-Shirts – Ein "Trash Polka" Interview
    .
  24. (German)Web site: Tattoo-Ausstellung im Schaugang an der FHWS – Würzburg – B4B Mainfranken.
  25. (German)News: Trash und Polka -WELT. Die Welt . 13 December 2010 . Haack . Melanie .
  26. (German)Web site: ROCK'N'ROAD – Tattoo /// Realistic-Special: Ist das ein Foto?.
  27. Book: The Tattoo Dictionary – Trent Aitken-Smith, Ashley Tyson – Google Books. 9781784722548. Aitken-Smith. Trent. Tyson. Ashley. 8 September 2016.
  28. Web site: Volko Merschky & Simpne Pfaff / Tattoo.com – everything about tattoo art on one map -Map.
  29. Web site: Artists – Trash Polka Tattoos by Volko Merschky & Simone Pfaff.
  30. Web site: Buena Vista Tattoo Club. .
  31. Web site: Realistic Trash Polka / Tattoodo. 31 January 2014 .
  32. Book: Lal Hardy: The Mammoth Book of Tattoo Art. Hachette UK. 2012. 978-1-780-33921-4. Hardy. Lal.
  33. Book: Tattooisme 2 by Chris Coppola, Frédéric Claquin & Kitiza. 978-2-7335-0386-7. Herscher. Coppola. Chris. Claquin. Frédéric. Kitiza. February 2013.
  34. Book: La Veine Graphique Vol. 2. 978-2-9539778-2-0. Noire Meduse. Escarmand . Christophe . 18 February 2015 .
  35. Book: Day of the Dead Tattoo Artwork Collection by Edgar Hoill. 978-3-943105-25-4. Reuss. Hoill. Edgar. September 2013.
  36. Book: Black Tattoo Art 2. 978-3-943105-21-6. Reuss. Kakoulas . Maria . September 2013 .
  37. Web site: Black Tattoo Art 2: Modern expressions of the tribal : Modern expressions of the tribal von Marisa Kakoulas Edition Reuss 9783943105216 Gebundene Ausgabe - AHA-BUCH.
  38. Book: The World Atlas of Tattoo by Anna Felicity Friedman. 2015. Thames & Hudson. 978-0-500-51786-4.
  39. Book: Tattoo Handbook 2 by Dimitri Hk, Steph D., & Benjo San. Around the Caps. 978-2-918024-03-3.
  40. Book: Cranial Visions. October 2010. Memento Publishing USA. 978-0-615-39053-6.
  41. Web site: Amazon.com: Hardcover Cranial Visions Tattoo Book : Tattooing Products : Books. Amazon .
  42. Book: Tattoo Prodigies 2. July 2014. Memento Publishing USA. 978-0-9896811-3-1.
  43. Web site: Tattooing über alles - Vol. 1 - Amboss Tattoo. 10 November 2017. 7 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171207012453/http://ambosstattoo.de/produkt/tattooing-ueber-alles-vol-1-the-germans/. dead.
  44. Book: Back Piece Tattoo . November 2010 . Fujimi Publishing. 978-4-89421-987-8.
  45. Web site: TF # 17, September 2008 by Tattoofest Magazine - issuu.
  46. (German)Web site: TätowierMagazin /// Deutschlands älteste Tattoo-Zeitschrift. 9 November 2017. 26 September 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100926171250/http://www.taetowiermagazin.de/. dead.
  47. Web site: Total Tattoo Magazine.
  48. Web site: Tattoo Burst.
  49. Web site: Custom Tattooz / Magshop. 10 November 2017. 15 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171115014646/https://www.magshop.com.au/custom-tattooz. dead.
  50. Web site: Skin Deep – The UK's Best Selling Tattoo Magazine.
  51. (Italian)Web site: Alla Pelanda un omaggio al mondo dei tatuaggi come opere d'arte / INSIDEART. 22 June 2016 .
  52. (Italian)Web site: Tattoo, gli strumenti per farne un'arte – Arte – In Cartellone – Lifestyle. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20171114202823/http://www5.ansa.it/lifestyle/notizie/incartellone/arte/2016/07/20/tattoo-gli-strumenti-per-farne-unarte_53a71cc1-e382-4c80-a331-445feb019125.html. 14 November 2017.
  53. (Italian)Web site: 9788849232615 Federica Nicosia 2016 Tattoo Forever. Storia, Costume, Arte Contemporanea. – LibroCo.It.
  54. Web site: Time: Tattoo Art Today / Tattoo Life. 10 November 2017. 15 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171115015243/http://www.tattoolife.com/time-tattoo-art-today/. dead.
  55. Web site: Exhibitions – ArtminusZero.
  56. Web site: Dobbs Dead – Breathing. .
  57. Book: Tattoo Life Magazine. 72–73. 67.
  58. Web site: Dobbs Dead – Grain of Sand. .
  59. Web site: Trash Polka – Talking Trash. .
  60. Web site: Website Festivalticker.
  61. Web site: Tattoo Forever: Marco Manzo Brings Tattoos To The Museum / Tattoodo. July 2016 .
  62. (German)Web site: Tattoo at Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg / Art Blart.
  63. Web site: Skin Stories – Tattoo und Kunst – Fürth – marktspiegel.de. 2 October 2015 .
  64. Web site: "Time: Tattoo Art Today" Show at Somerset House / The Hundreds.
  65. (German)Web site: "Trash Polka": Simone Pfaff und Volko Merschky – eine fotographische Werkschau / Fakultät Gestaltung.
  66. (German)Web site: Ankündigung Ausstellung "Gestochen Scharf. Tätowierung in der Kunst" im Museum Villa Rot – Tattoo-Guide.
  67. Web site: Exhibitions – ArtminusZero.

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