“A Life Of A Rose:” Hungarian Artist Creates “Motion Tattoo” On 70 People

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Except for a matching tattoo here and there, the majority of them are standalone pieces. Hungarian ink virtuoso Balazs Bercsenyi, however, wanted to change that, and with the help of a group of strangers, created a project known as ‘A Life of a Rose.’

Image credits: balazsbercsenyi

“I wanted the story to revolve around a rose because it is such a beautiful symbol and metaphor of love,” Bercsenyi said. “It represents the cycle of life when the rose is born and then used as a tool to uplift and inject expression for a human being. The rose is a perfect example of how we should live our lives, to bloom and give our gift away.”

Image credits: balazsbercsenyi

Indeed, the rose has been flourishing as a symbol for a long time now. Legends concerning this beautiful flower are entwined with gods, kings, princes of the church and saints as well as with Brahma, Buddha, Mohammed, Cleopatra, Aphrodite and many more. And it’s not just love that it represents. The rose also is linked to confidentiality. For example, the Latin expression “sub rosa”(literally, “under the rose”) means something told in secret, and in ancient Rome, a wild rose was placed at a door of a room where people discussed confidential matters.

Image credits: balazsbercsenyi

It took Bercsenyi seven days to complete the project in his native Hungary. When put together, the finished tattoo showed the life cycle of a rose from a bud to its death. The process successfully bonded together 70 random people using what could be called a flipbook animation style.

Image credits: balazsbercsenyi

“The underlying purpose of this animation tattoo project was to create a sense of oneness, where the lasting outcome is in being part of something that is bigger than the individual.”

Image credits: balazsbercsenyi

Bercsenyi explained that his meticulous style is influenced by rituals, spirituality, geometry, the occult, and sculpture, and has become the cornerstone for his independent art projects.

Image credits: balazsbercsenyi

After an apprenticeship in London at the age of 20, he went on to join the world-famous Bang Bang Tattoo crew in New York City. While working there, he has expanded his horizons by diving into illustration and fashion design as new mediums to bridge the gap between ancient tradition and modern elegance.