PhD Study : Tattooing, commemoration and the printed surface

Apply and key information  

Summary

Adorning the body through tattooing is an ancient practice which has become widespread over the last few decades. Almost every British high street has at least one tattoo studio and, according to a 2015 survey, one fifth of the UK population has a tattoo. Traditionally associated with subcultures, and still taboo in some societies, tattooing has become a significant aspect of popular culture in many parts of the world. As such, this indelible form of body modification is increasingly subject to academic and artistic attention.

While some studies have researched the semiotics of tattooing as a visual language (Chris William Martin 2020) or traced its historical connection to maritime culture (Matt Lodder 2015), others have focused on the archiving of commemorative tattoos (Deborah Davidson 2017). Tribute Ink, an ongoing initiative of the British Legion, explores the role tattooing plays in remembrance and commemoration among veterans and serving members of the Armed Forces. Sociologist Les Back (2004) has argued that tattooing provides a hitherto under-appreciated means of expressing complex emotions, including those of love and affection.

The embodied and ephemeral nature of these communications means that they are often overlooked or marginalised. Although tattoos may last a lifetime, upon death they decay and these diverse records of the human condition, sometimes representing episodes of loss, trauma, hope and resilience, are lost to posterity. This practice-led study will combine ceramics, printmaking and design history to investigate the phenomenon of contemporary tattooing.

The project will involve cataloguing and establishing a typology of designs through a process of systematic recording and engagement with community partners. It will also examine how artforms concerned with surface embellishment, from printmaking to ceramics, might be used as a matrix through which to archive and creatively explore these micro-sites of embodied memory.

In materializing these private shrines as publicly accessible art objects, the project seeks to make an original contribution to understanding the practice of tattooing and its relationship to wider issues of identity, trauma, commemoration and wellbeing. We welcome applications from artists, ceramicists and other creative practitioners with an interest in printmaking, ceramics and socially-engaged practice.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

  • Sound understanding of subject area as evidenced by a comprehensive research proposal
  • A comprehensive and articulate personal statement
  • Research proposal of 2000 words detailing aims, objectives, milestones and methodology of the project

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

  • Completion of Masters at a level equivalent to commendation or distinction at Ulster
  • Practice-based research experience and/or dissemination
  • Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain
  • Work experience relevant to the proposed project

Funding and eligibility

The University offers the following levels of support:

Vice Chancellors Research Studentship (VCRS)

The following scholarship options are available to applicants worldwide:

  • Full Award: (full-time tuition fees + £19,000 (tbc))
  • Part Award: (full-time tuition fees + £9,500)
  • Fees Only Award: (full-time tuition fees)

These scholarships will cover full-time PhD tuition fees for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance) and will provide a £900 per annum research training support grant (RTSG) to help support the PhD researcher.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Please note: you will automatically be entered into the competition for the Full Award, unless you state otherwise in your application.

Department for the Economy (DFE)

The scholarship will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and a maintenance allowance of £19,000 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).

This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.

  • Candidates with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, who also satisfy a three year residency requirement in the UK prior to the start of the course for which a Studentship is held MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance.
  • Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals who satisfy three years’ residency in the UK prior to the start of the course MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance (ROI nationals don’t need to have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to qualify).
  • Other non-ROI EU applicants are ‘International’ are not eligible for this source of funding.
  • Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living

The Doctoral College at Ulster University

Key dates

Submission deadline
Friday 26 February 2021
12:00AM

Interview Date
Week Commencing 29 March and 12 April 2021

Preferred student start date
Mid-September 2021

Applying

Apply Online  

Contact supervisor

Dr Christopher McHugh

Other supervisors