Tattoo Artist Defends Pensioner with Tattoos

Irina Varekhina from Arkhangelsk got her first tattoo at the age of 50. Over nine years, the number has grown to five, and more are planned. For Irina, tattoos are pictures on her body, each with its own meaning. However, online, the pensioner has faced negative reactions: some believe that tattoos at her age are inappropriate. Roman Vainer, a tattoo artist, has come to Irina«s defense.

— One shouldn«t judge anyone at all. Everyone decides for themselves what they want to get, where, and how many, — Roman believes.

If a person wants to «look younger,» Roman doesn«t find that strange:

— And who doesn«t want to look 20 or 30? We all feel nostalgic for our youth; it»s normal. Having tattoos might be a way to look young, but in my opinion, it«s the opposite: if people get tattoos at 50–60, it»s a conscious decision, not a teenage cry for attention to prove something to their parents. It«s a formed personality who decides what they want. It happens that people on social media like to write snide remarks because, apparently, they have their own insecurities.

Asked why pensioners might want tattoos at all, Roman answers simply: because they want to. This practice is not rare.

— I«ve had the chance to work in many European countries, and there, older people get tattoos more often. Because they»ve already raised their kids, saved up some money, and decided to live for themselves. In Russia, there«s also been a shift. People on a pension have social media, they see designs online, they might have wanted a tattoo for a long time. Most often, when people aged 50–60 come in, they say they»ve wanted a tattoo for ages but were afraid of judgment, or their husband or wife didn«t allow it — there were many restrictions. But a person just likes it. There»s no need to look for some sacred meaning. Among tattoo artists, there«s a joke: tattooed people worry a lot about non-tattooed people, but those of us with tattoos aren»t worried about those without them at all, and we never judge them.

Roman believes that in most cases, people don«t react critically to pensioners with tattoos. But online, it»s different:

— It«s just that in the comments, people are often toxic because, most likely, they have some worries in life, and this is one way to vent a negative emotion: »I don«t like you — I»ll write you something nasty because nothing will happen to me for it.« But overall, there»s always a generation gap.

As Roman notes, adults look suspiciously at young people, and they might also look at their peers if they«re different.

— They might think, looking at a pensioner with tattoos: «Where are you going? Calm down, raise your grandchildren, don»t leave the house, wear clothes that fit your age.« But age boundaries are blurring; we all want to be young and happy.

Read also what Irina herself answers to haters and critics expressing their opinions online.

Earlier, we talked about Roman Vainer«s works. He painted a picture in which a northern high-rise, known as the Sutyagin House, found itself in the world of the sci-fi film »Blade Runner.«

There are those who dedicate drawings on their own bodies to their beloved city. We talked to tattoo artists who fulfilled orders featuring one of Arkhangelsk«s symbols — the high-rise. We also learned what other places in Pomorye inspire northerners to get tattoos.