Rose of No Man’s Land, 24x18” mixed media on paper

I don’t’ have any permanent  tattoos but i like applying  temporary tattoos and  exploring the history of things. The symbolism of roses and tattoos is ancient. I wanted to contrast the beauty of a rose with the harsh realities of war. The title is from a 1918 song called “The Rose of No Man’s Land” that pays homage to the nurses of WWI.  The marks on the background of  this  piece were from the body of Ötzi (to date are the oldest tattoos on record), a mummy found high in the Chilian Andes. The moon and stars mark is from the 70’s. 61 is the number of tattoos found on Ötzi’s body. The dragon temporary tattoo is from my personal 1970’s collection . Its represents power, wisdom and good fortune.