Tattoo's have been commonplace in society for many years. Throughout history they have served as status symbols, declarations of love, signs of faith, adornments and sometimes even signs of punishment. In 'Inked' we are gathering a collection of some tattoo's that we think are really cool, and sharing the story behind them with you. Enjoy!

Francis Xavier Labiran 

"​The main part of the piece is a hybrid of the tree of life and an eagle. The tree of life is a representation of my connectedness to my spirit and my origin. The soil in which the roots dig into represents, acknowledges and embraces my mother land and ancestors. The tree of life also represents the breath of life. The leaves represent healing not only of the physical but also the spiritual and emotional. Which ties into my belief of an holistic approach to life and how an action on one of those levels impacts the other two . The tree of life as a whole represents my connectedness to everything around me. 

The eagle is a representation of my connection to the divine . The eagle is the ruler of the skies and that is also a reflection of my ambtions in life. Key elements of this are also the themes of rebirth and a new dawn, a reminder of the cyclical nature of life . The eagle on a more superficial level also represents me as the eagle is a symbol of the United States of America and Nigeria. 

Above the eagle is the eye of providence. The eye symbolises God watching over me at all times. The eye is in a pyramid that represents the holy trinity and is also a symbol of strength and longevity."