Skull Art

For many of us nowadays skull art and skeleton art are part of our daily fashion. Aside from representing death, war, and human atrocities, skull art is used as a symbol of defiance, charisma, and bravery, that’s why we see skull designs commonly attached to rock and hip hop music, including other forms of art and entertainment. The first time I saw a skull was in the movie “Army of Darkness (1992)” where an army of skulls attacked the city. Later the videogame Mortal Kombat was released. I enjoyed the mysticism and dark vibe around the game that I got hooked with skull art.

As me and many of you reading this article, skulls are a subject of fascination regardless of their meaning to you, but did you know that we aren’t the only ones inside the “Memento Mori” movement? In this article, we will be exploring the vast world behind our beloved skull lifestyle.

What is skull art?

Skull art is an artistic movement correlated with the “Memento Mori” movement, acting as a reminder of the inevitability of death. The most common symbol or motif is a skull, bones, a complete skeleton, or funerary accessories such as coffins, hourglass, bones, etc. The meaning of skull art may change depending on the artist and spectator, while in medieval times skull art was a genre that celebrated death, in this century is even portrayed as a character of its own, with feelings and something to say.

Skull art can be seen in many cultures around the world, from the Aztecs with their skull art and human sacrifices to the well-known Vicent van Gogh with his “Skeleton with a burning cigarette”. Back in the ancient days, skulls were used to decorate houses in the Middle East. Nonetheless, since writing wasn’t quite developed, the symbols behind them remain unknown. But in certain countries, skulls of defeated warriors also became a sign of victory, something that was represented with skull art and skeleton art. Also, pirates used skull art as their slogan. The flag most commonly related to pirates, called “Jolly Roger” was a skull with two crossbones symbol, used by many famous pirates during the golden age of piracy, around the 1700s. In South America, skulls and skull art are of importance in several cultures for example in Mexican culture. The Mexicas, Aztecs, and the late Mayan culture enjoy skull carving and skull art, and for generations, this idea has been kept alive, and now it is the main symbol related to the Day of the Dead.

Back in the 1920s, the artists of America also introduced the culture of experimenting with skull art. During World War II, skull art and skeleton symbols became essential imagery for improving propaganda. With the usage of propaganda during World War II, artists became immensely inspired by the concept of skull art. It is from there that the skull fashion arose. Skull art became an important part of the counterculture of the ’60s and ’70s including skulls motifs on t-shirts, prints, accessories, and so on. The anti-establishment movement also saw the rise of rock music and some metal bands started to use skull art since then, as an act of defiance or opposition.

In the previous few decades, skull art and skull designs have become an important part of pop culture. In today’s generation, a number of skull accessories are found in shops. It is to be noted that the skull is a part of every important culture. Right from furniture to beddings, and all the other essential house belongings have skulls imprinted on them. The skull art has come a long way in ages. Skull fashion is in tremendous demand among teenagers. Also, skeleton-lined, skull-lined dresses are also available for the kids.

Skull tattoos have gained immense popularity. People wear skull tattoos as statements rather than in clothes. There are several kinds of tattoo designs with skulls. These may have their own significance and others are a deep connexion with our roots. Skull art isn’t limited, it’s expanding day by day. One can find customized skull jewelry, some of them with gems stuffed or crude skull designs in different types of clothing. Vibrant skull art has been used for generations and will never fail to amaze you. Skull art is only growing day by day with the introduction of more skull artists coming to the field.