Carreiras com a tatuagem: uma análise temática sobre as trajetórias de tatuadores

Abstract

The study of careers makes it possible to cover subjects and contexts in its analyses, offering approaches through which it is possible to understand individual trajectories situated historically and socially. Indeed, studying careers includes issues inherent to organizational studies and research in administration, in addition to reaching different occupations in societies, regulated or not, formal or informal, with artistic, cultural and social activities. In this sense, it is pertinent to research the career of tattoo artists, specifically because it is not a conventional career and that it involves striking aspects regarding its acceptance or not by society, the recognition or not of the public and work institutions. In addition, the occupation of tattoo artist has been expanding in the form of a mercantile activity in the Brazilian context. Thus, this research had as its main objective to apprehend the experiences lived by tattoo artists in their life trajectories, particularizing the objective and subjective dimensions of the career. The methodological procedures followed a qualitative approach, with data collection carried out through the techniques of documental research and narrative interview complemented using the field diary. The research subjects were those working as a tattoo artist in the city of São Paulo and in formally registered tattoo studios. Data were submitted to the thematic content analysis technique. The analysis of the objective dimension of the tattoo artists' career showed ambivalent movements considering the context over time: a) the growing presence of guidelines for structuring the work, especially for formalization, inspection and biosecurity in tattoo parlors; b) the continuous absence of registration of occupation that involves tattooing on human beings within the Brazilian Classification of Occupations (CBO). With the analysis of the subjective dimension, it was revealed that tattoo artists recognize and establish interconnections with different contexts for the construction of their careers. These were indicated as constructions that do not derive solely from the individualized occupational exercise in a tattoo parlor, otherwise, they also cover other experiences in contexts, spaces and times throughout their life trajectories. In this sense, the connection with artistic expressions since childhood, the realization of painting and arts courses before the decision to exercise, in addition to the social interactions in the family and in the work contexts, were narrated as relevant for the construction of the career. The context with increasing virtualization modified the work processes to some extent, and the career was presented as the construction of relationship networks also with the use of social networks. The search for artistic and cultural valorization of the activity over time, the service of the consumer market through tattoo parlors with biosafety criteria, as well as the use of social networks, were revealed as contributors to the projection of a career image. and professional work. In addition, they interpreted that these behaviors help in the confrontation of stigma issues that can still affect their careers, other tattooists and people tattooed.