Whang-Od is the oldest tattoo artist in Philippines and the last living mambabatok, which is a traditional Kalinga tattooist. She lives in the small town of Buscalan, in the mountains of Kalinga, creating tattoos since she was just 15. Whang-Od, also known as Maria Oggay, became known to the whole world when Lars Krutak, the American …
We may be walking through stormy weather now, but it is important to know that the rainbow will rise eventually… Life hasn’t been a careless walk in the park. We’ve all had our ups and downs, our ray of light and thunderstruck. But this is something we have never experienced before… Yet, we are in …
Every year, Spring is announced by the colorful Magnolia in front of my window, that gently greets me with its flowers. Mornings begin with its mesmerizing scent and the singing of the birds that hide in the trees, in the little park downstairs. This year Spring came as usual, the flowers blossomed and yet after …
Viewing the World Through a Different Lens There are many words that you wouldn’t want to hear, yet “cancer” may be one of the most excruciating ones. We all have had someone very dear who suffered from it or we all know at least someone who has experienced this. It is one of the most …
One of the most famous artists in the world – Frida Kahlo is more than a highly appreciated artist, she is an icon. Her portrait is part of pop culture. The thick unibrow above those two dark eyes, the flowers in her hair and her long colorful dresses have circled the globe so many times. …
When I first laid eyes on Alex’s photos my heart skipped a beat. The colors, the light, the larger than life feeling and the rich stories hidden in the eyes of his models make you feel that you are about to enter a new world. It may seem surreal – the opening of a fairytale, …
You… the violin that sneaks inside me. The new instrument that I have to learn every time that I touch. I am spinning and lighting up. I am the heart that rises. A butterfly that struggles in the blue light of retrieval. A bullet that penetrates a virgin body, just like a beast that nabs …
The last years have become more and more agitated. We needed to work more, check everything out of our to-do lists, fill up our bucket lists just to empty them in one year and fill them up again the next. We were in a continuous competition with ourselves and everyone around us… Until the world …
There are many moments in life when we decide to take new paths and embark on new adventures and new challenges. It takes loads of courage to do this. Many of us have this wish of starting over deeply rooted in our souls, but lack the determination to do so. We may be stuck in …
I was 14 when I called myself a “free spirit”, having tattooed this idea on my back. My spine now moves in the rhythm of the dancing letters on my upper back. 17 years passed and not once did I feel to cover it up. This idea that I have discovered at such a young …
