Piercings?

[Jonathan Whatley]

Moments after Deborah Davidson gave birth, her premature babies — both of whom died post-delivery in the mid-1970s — were brusquely taken away. She never got to see them, to hold them, or even to say goodbye.

Today, the York University sociologist honours their brief lives with two butterfly tattoos on her leg, and is fascinated by the vast number of Canadians who have inked similar tributes on their own flesh. To that end, Davidson is developing what she believes will be the world’s first comprehensive digital archive of memorial tattoos, envisioned as a “cultural heritage site” for the various remembrances — lost loves, deceased pets, and even expired relationships — that literally left their mark on those left behind.

“These tattoos open dialogue about the deceased, and about people’s experiences of love and loss,” said Davidson. “Their loved ones are embodied permanently on them, so they’re permanently with them.”

Currently in the prototype phase, the archive will include photos of memorial tattoos, along with written, audio, and video narratives putting the images in context.

Professor Davidson is my Mom, of whom I'm very proud!
The butterflies commemorate my brother and sister.

The walking dead: Lost loved ones live on through tattoos (Misty Harris, canada.com, August 13, 2013)

More:
Tattoo library being assembled by York professor (CBC News, August 13, 2013)
'Memorial tattoos' help the bereaved remember lost loved ones (Eric Andrew-Gee, Toronto Star, August 12, 2013)
Inked in: York prof to launch first digital archive of memorial tattoos (YFile, York University, August 12, 2013)