One way to look at face and body art is to consider them as temporary tattoos, says professional face and body painter Nikki-Marie Rogers.
Rogers is a self-taught artist with over seven years experience in face and body painting. This month, she will be showcasing a photographic exhibition of her work called Skin at the YMCA HQ in Leederville.
‘I started face painting when I was 12 and have just been doing it ever since,’ she said.
Rogers said much of the bread and butter of her business was face painting at children’s parties but she relished opportunities to work on photo shoots.
‘More so lately I’ve been getting into photo shoots because that’s what I want to do with the business – that is to turn it into art work for people.’
‘I think a lot of people do face painting, the more cliché sort of face-painting, and that’s as far as their limitations will go but with body painting, the sky is the limit.’
Rogers found body art but was still emerging as an art form had the potential to be exhibited in galleries.
‘It’s so new that people don’t really see it as this new art form, as a serious kind of thing whereas they kind of think of it as this playful kid’s activity.’
The Skin exhibition has about 20 pieces on display, ranging from small, intricate photos to larger, blown up canvases. As a young woman who was out, Rogers posed the question: how many lesbians do you see covered in tattoos? The answer: there are many.
‘I’ve done a few photo shoots and my girlfriend as well, she has got quite a few tattoos on her sleeve and it’s just beautiful, when she ever thinks of getting a tattoo we always paint it on first and see what it looks like.’
‘I guess, I love just face painting in general and the whole artistic and creative side of it.’
‘But then it’s just something new, you know, it’s a real different, sexy way of making art.’
Skin opens on Friday November 18 at YMCA HQ, 60A Frame Court Leederville at 6pm and runs until December 1. Visit www.nikkimariedesigns.com for more information.
Benn Dorrington
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