Tattooed for Dolphy

Malacañang  declared July 13 as a National Day of Remembrance in honor of the late Rodolfo Vera’ Quizon Sr., populary known as Dolphy, the King of Philippine Comedy.

T-shirts, pins and other memorabilias dedicated to Dolphy has proliferated all over the country. Even the MMDA has used their electronic signages to give a last farewell tribute to the late comedian.

Meanwhile, aside from the indelible mark Dolphy left, the Quizon clan will keep his memory alive with their Dolphy tattoos.

Boy2 Quizon, grandson of the late Dolphy, gets his right forearm tattooed with the image of the Comedy King. Tattoo artist Jaime De Leon Tud manned the session at the Wild Side Tattoo and Bar along Taft Avenue in Manila.

Tud says the session took four hours. He adds “ginawa ito ni Boy2 dahil gusto niyang ipakita pagmamahal niya sa lolo niya, ginawa niya ito bilang tribute.”

Tud also tattooed an image of Dolphy on Vandolph’s forearm.

Tud did the skin art for most of the Quizon kin, which also includes Dolphy’s children Epi, Dino, and Zia; and grandson John.

Rowell Quizon was the first among Dolphy’s grandchildren to have the an image of the comedian’s face tattooed on his skin. He related that he had the first one, a colored portrait with the Philippine flag in the background, done last year as a gift for Dolphy, who turned 83 years old then.

Other sons, and grandsons, of Dolphy were also in unity to the movement. For them it means a lifelong tribute to their dear grandfather. Rowell, Nico and John Quizon, whose father Freddie is the comedian’s son with Gracita Dominguez, are bearing the portrait to go with their countless stories about life with their “lolo”.

Some fans of Dolphy has also gone to great lengths in honoring the late Comedy King by having an image Dolphy’s face tattooed on their body. Others may already be following the move, just like below, a tattoo made by Butch Rosca.

Well, tattoos have indeed become a status symbol already for the so called “elite” so wants to be “in” and “awesome”. Unlike before where only ex-convicts would have tattoos painstakingly imprinted on parts of their body, nowadays even the affluent also boasts of tattoos to signify their “coolness”, and also some use it to intensify their “seductiveness”, as some already believe it adds “sexyness” to their personality.

Some are using it to serve as a memory of their love ones, unforgettable experiences, groups they are affiliated with, places they have been, their beliefs, their zodiac sign, etc.

Sporting a tattoo is already an art for some. But in my case, I would have to pass. I do not really wish to mutilate my body, and subject myself to possible infection or disease that may come out in the future.

Many celebrities are already lining up to tattoo artists like the ones at the Republic to sport the new trend in fashion.

What if I change my perception, and I no longer want to display such an image on my body?

Even though some tattoos can be hidden, the thought that its there, always reminding me of a past that I wish to forget, would forever “stain” me and prevent me from recovering.

There may be a technology to remove the tattoos, but still the scars would be evident.

I do not want to be scarred for life.

I want to be constantly changing. Free from any restrictions, so i would want to sport a trend that I could easily remove and change, or improve. I am open to trying out all crazy things but not those that are permanently damaging.

Maybe celebrities are donning tattoos to call attention to themselves….to tell the world that they’re willing to do almost anything just to be famous, or infamous. Who hurts herself just to feel more liberated? To feel more accepted by a judgmental society?

But wait…maybe its not a scar for some…maybe its a trophy. Something that they will forever cherish and remind them of how “crazy”, “wild”, “rebellious”, or “insane” their youth was.

Or maybe its to remind them that they are “eccentric”, even “eclectic” or “not your typical personality”. They would like to stand out among the rest and declare themselves “unique”.

However, many are already following the trend, so no matter how differently designed their tattoos are, they are slowly becoming but a normal sight to the public, it no longer makes them special.

Though I do believe tattoos are true forms of art…it wouldn’t hurt, literally, if some genius out there could try to find a way to make it non-permanent but long-lasting (well there is the henna but does not last very long) and non-damaging to the skin.

We are free to express ourselves but it doesn’t mean that we should abuse and misuse our body.