preserving a deceased loved one's tattoo is insane

[IrishGal21]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-48047002

would you do this and put it on your mantlepiece? Seems to me very morbid and grim

It's like the modern equivalent of the victorian hair locket. I can definitely understand why some people find it comforting - and why others find it disturbing and gross. Whatever gets you through the grieving process, i suppose.

I think it's just about fine because he gave explicit permission before his death. Without that, I dont think it should be permitted. And even then I think there should be limits. What's next, having a lo stuffed or turned into a lightshade?

I don’t like tattoos and the idea that they basically peeled his skin off his back and arms reminds me of the Silence of the Lambs.
Then to put it on display....
Keeping ashes in a casket is completely different.
As is keeping a lock of hair.

Awful. What next, taxidermy?

A photo should of course suffice. Displaying deceased relative's skin is beyond grim.

I don't see the problem as long as the deceased has agreed prior to death. Some tattoos are amazing works of art and if it comforts someone to preserve them then why not?

That mounted and spread eagled back and arm skin is horrific, like something you would find on the wall in a serial killers workshop

Ugh. Sounds like something Josef Mengele would have done.

Wow. No. I’d find it distressing to look at a piece sliced off a person whose whole self I loved.

I have a tattoo but I wouldn’t want any part of me preserved

looking at a part of me on a regular basis once I’ve passed- I’m not sure that this would really help those I’ve left behind to look at a part of my skin, especially my current partner who loves my tattoo. Think it could potentially cause more pain to see a part of me knowing that I’m gone. A part of me he used to be able to touch but now can only look at?

If that helps his wife to grieve then I see no harm in it

I think tattoos should go with the person who loved them..as part of them.its gross.

Looks like a serial killers trophy in absolute honesty.

But we all grieve in our own ways I guess.

Nope. All the nope.
And I do judge. They may be grieving but just because you can doesn't mean you should.

This is what happened in a book I read about a serial killer.

There is a Roald Dahl short story about a very valuable tattoo...

@teddy interested in what religion you mention?

The thought of the tattoo, it’s seems odd and if I’m honest grim, but it’s an individual choice.

So for all those saying "well if it helps her to grieve, it's fine" do you think that anything the next of kin suggest is fine or are there limits? And what happens if family disagree?

@beza he did

'That mounted and spread eagled back and arm skin is horrific, like something you would find on the wall in a serial killers workshop '

It is. So horrifically disturbing and distasteful.

No one care about tattoos or any other body art other than the person that has been inked/ So they may well desire to be skinned and preserved, but do you really want Aunt Mauds wrinkly bit on your mantle forever? And even if you did, once you're dead yourself, there really is no one left to care.

Where there's a mug, there's a market and a (quite literal) killing to be made.

@bigbadger - I was just thinking of the Dahl story - except that bloke was tattooed by a famous artist, he was killed and skinned - it was called 'Skin' it was dramatized in Tales of the Unexpected.

I'm not comfortable with the idea that there are companies out there exploiting someone's grief by making them part with a lot of money to cling onto the past by keep a small piece of their beloveds physical body.

My late DH1 was never a fan of tattoos so it couldn't have applied to him, but I can imagine in the early days of my bereavement I would have been desperate to keep him close. It would not have helped me move forward, and in fact my life since his passing has been immeasurably improved by his own humanistic approach to moving forward positively and not staying in the past. He'd probably have said use the money on a nice holiday or a few decent bottles of wine instead!

'No one care about tattoos or any other body art other than the person that has been inked'

It's true. It'd be like your loved ones being very proud of their hairstyle so arranging to be scalped and then the bereaved displaying scalp once they'd died

Where does it end, tattoos made into art, hair made into a wig, skin made into a handbag, bones made into chess pieces, teeth made into piano keys?

No one care about tattoos or any other body art other than the person that has been inked

Actually I don’t think that’s strictly true. Tattoos can be a very intimate things between couples, I can see where tattoos would have great significance to the deceased’s partner.

I’m sure it would be pretty disturbing irl. People have so many tattoos now - this could be a burgeoning industry.

I have a few tattoos but I find the idea of this creepy. I don’t like it at all. That said if someone chose to express their grief that way then it’s none of my business.

My DH only tattoo is a camel on his toe 🙄 whih he got as a teenager. Think I’ll pass on having that mounted in my house!

It's funny how people view things differently - the thought of peeling the skin off a deceased person makes me feel quite faint 😱