In an apartment in Tehran, far from prying eyes, Sean proudly shows off the tattoos carefully crafted by his students.
It’s been eight months since the 34-year-old Iranian opened his studio to practice and teach the art of “skin coloring,” which has flourished in secrecy for more than a decade.
“In Iran, tattoo artists generally work at home,” Sean, who uses his stage name, told AFP. “We took a risk by opening this place and turning it into a workshop.”
Tattooing is not expressly forbidden in the Islamic Republic. However, in the eyes of conservatives, it continues to be associated with immorality, crime and, especially, Westernization.
This stigma hasn’t stopped Iran from diving into tattoo fashion, although the number of enthusiasts there is still lower than in other countries.
“A few years ago, customers wanted simple, discreet tattoos that no one could see,” says Sean. “That is no longer the case.”
The 30-year-old, who started drawing skin 17 years ago, capitalized on the emerging trend by opening two more studios in the city of Kerman in southeastern Iran and on the tourist island of Kish.
With his thirty students, Sean continues to take into account the social context of his country, which is more conservative than in the West.
So “women do tattoos for women and men do tattoos for men,” he explains.
Aspiring tattoo artists practice on silicone canvases at Sean’s studio school in the Iranian capital Tehran, November 7, 2023. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) AFP
Not too noticeable
Several Iranian Shiite scholars have clarified in recent years that tattooing is not prohibited under Islamic law.
“It is not ‘haram’ (forbidden) unless it promotes non-Islamic culture,” says Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s website.
And it’s better that it’s not too noticeable.
In September 2022, the Iranian Volleyball Federation asked players with tattoos to cover their tattoos or risk not being allowed to participate in the national championship.
Several famous football players were also summoned by the Sports Morality Commission for flaunting their skills.
In 2019, a Tehran police official warned that the presence of “visible and unconventional tattoos” could result in a “psychological examination” for applicants to obtain or renew a driver’s license.
A few years earlier, in 2016, authorities arrested a “gang of tattoo artists” who were accused of painting “satanic and obscene symbols,” according to Tasnim news agency.
Although tolerance has increased since then, Benyamin, a 27-year-old cafe owner, admits he is viewed by some as a “criminal” because of his clearly visible tattoos on his arms and neck.
They “are not viewed as crimes per se, but when something happens you are stigmatized,” he testifies.
A young Iranian man proudly shows his armadillos to the AFP photographer in Tehran, the capital of Iran, on November 7, 2023. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) AFP
“Don’t be afraid of anything”
For women, the challenge is even greater as they are required by Islamic law to adhere to a strict dress code, including covering the head and neck.
In this context, some view tattooing as an act of defiance. Studios in Tehran agree to return to the “Woman, Life, Freedom” slogan of the protest movement that rocked the country in late 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd arrested for non-freedom to glue skin. Compliance with the clothing code.
For others, tattooing is primarily a way to express one’s personality or thoughts, like Sahar, a 26-year-old nurse whose arm bears the message: “Don’t be afraid of anything.”
She knows that these markings “can lead to problems, especially if you want to work in an administration.”
Despite these difficulties, Kobo, one of Sean’s studio students, is determined to pursue her art. “People are generally more open these days,” she says happily, retouching a carp model engraved on a silicone canvas. “I hope that I can work as a tattoo artist without restrictions.”