Tahiti Tattoos [Hardcover]

Raymond Graffe (Editor), Gian Paolo Barbieri (Photographer), Michael Tournier (Introduction), Paul Gauguin (Contributor)

Book Description

Series: Photobook | Publication Date: February 1, 1998

Gian Paolo Barbieri's photgraphs of the tattooed people of Tahiti provide a record of an unspoken Polynesian language left on the skin of the people.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Taschen; Special Value edition (February 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3822877638
• ISBN-13: 978-3822877630
• Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 10.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,350,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most gorgeous pictures of men I have ever seen, January 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Tahiti Tattoos (Hardcover)

This book has the most beautiful photographs of men that I have ever seen.

The images are sensual and sensitive.

That these images are rendered wholely in black and white is also significant.

I am not particularly interested in tattoos, and when I saw this book in the bookstore, I wasn't into it. Then I went to Bora Bora and become fascinated by the men who are fire dancers.

I have shown this book to my friends and they are all blown away by these images of men and want to go out and buy the book.

The images are alluring and evocative, whether you are into tattoos or not.

For those who are TOTALLY into this subject, there is another book which I saw in Bora Bora but have not been able to locate on the Internet, called Tatouage, which is in French. It includes detailed documentation and GORGEOUS images of Polynesian tattoos - hundreds of color illustrations.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars quite disappointed, January 14, 2001

By 

Ricardo Landim (Brasília, DF Brazil) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tahiti Tattoos (Hardcover)

The book is good but I got disappointed with some pictures. The reason is that some of those polynesian guys arent really tattooed - those tattoos are FAKE. Pay attention and you'll see some of their designs being erased by the water. So many tattooed people there and he author decided to pick a non-tattooed guy to draw some fake tattoos just to take his pictures, probably because he found those guys handsome. What a shame.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and Excellent, September 18, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Hawaii) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tahiti Tattoos (Hardcover)

I found this book to be more in line for artists and photographers, but I purchased it for the tattoos, informaton on Tahitian tattoos, and ideas for my own. If you are interesed in Pacific culture, tattoos, or artistic photography this book is a must have as it covers ALL these like none other I've seen. Aloha