Ingrid Meyering and Marion Duimel, both Dutch photographers, set out to demonstrate that tattoos can remain visually appealing, convey a sense of individuality, and hold significant personal significance even in old age. Over the course of three years, the photographers documented individuals over the age of 65 who had tattoos, along with their unique stories. The project, called TatooAge, features subjects who adorned their bodies with ink during their younger years as well as those who chose to get their first tattoo during old age.
Thomas
Born: 1949
First Tattoo: 1978
Last Tattoo: 2015
I don’t care what others think of me. I dared to do something, I crossed the border, and from this, I feel very free.
Cor
Born: 1950
First Tattoo: 1980
Last Tattoo: 2017
Tattoos make you stand out from the crowd. And now I’m not so naked and bald anymore. The strange thing is that at some point you start looking for what else on your body you can fill with a pattern, and you can’t stop.
Jan
Born: 1946
First tattooed: 1957
Last tattooed: 2016
After the operation, I walked down the corridor. The doctor said, “I need to look at my picture.” He called me a painting!
Toosa
Born: 1936
First tattoo: 2015
Last tattoo: 2016
Sometimes I deliberately sit at the top somewhere and watch how people react to me. Sometimes strange looks are thrown at me, but no one ever dares to say something out loud.
Chris
Born: 1953
First Tattoo: 2007
Last Tattoo: 2016
These are the tattoos of my ancestors that were used in the days of animism before they were banned by other religions. These are my roots.
Jan
Born: 1954
First Tattoo: 1972
Last Tattoo: 2017
I started at the age of seventeen with a small anchor. And I got a taste.
Rebha
Born: 1942
First tattooed: 1956
Last tattooed: 1956
It was fashionable among the youth. I was fourteen years old, and, like everyone in the village, I dreamed of beautiful jewellery on my face. All the women in my family, mother, sister, cousins, also had tattoos on their faces. It was really part of our culture. I never thought about removing tattoos. This is part of me. And she will stay with me until I die.
Richard
Born: 1946
First tattoo: 2017
Last tattoo: 2017
My wife Olga and I have been together for fifty years. Together we had two daughters. Unfortunately, our youngest daughter passed away too soon. Then my wife got sick. She was ill for six weeks before she passed away. I definitely can’t call myself a tattoo lover. However, now I have pictures of my wife and daughter in my hands. The memory of them makes me feel good.
Jack
Born: 1938
First tattoo: 1999
Last tattoo: 1999
Once, when I was working as a teacher, we had a conversation with students about tattoos. Someone from the class asked me a question: “Jack, do you have a tattoo?”. I said, “No, I haven’t had a reason to do it yet.” Then at graduation, my students gave me a coupon for a tattoo. They said, “Jack, now you can get a tattoo. Then you will remember for the rest of your life how much you mean to us!” I was proud as a peacock. Nothing is better than receiving such a gift from your students, right? I think I’m the only teacher who wears a tattoo from his students.
Tilly
Born: 1949
First tattoo: 2017
Last tattoo: 2017
On my birthday, my granddaughter said to me: “Do you want to go to the cat cafe? Or maybe we will make paired tattoos? We have a special connection with you, and I want to capture it!”. I don’t really like tattoos, but I really liked this one. In general, everyone really likes her!