Text by Massimo Morello Introduction by Edoardo Siani
Sak Yant is the ancient art of magical tattooing from Southeast Asia, rooted in animist beliefs and later intertwined with Buddhist spirituality. For centuries, these sacred tattoos have served as symbols of protection, power, and spiritual identity, traditionally bestowed by monks and ajarns through ritualized practices.
This photographic essay explores the contemporary resurgence of Sak Yant, documenting how the tradition continues to evolve while remaining deeply connected to its spiritual origins. Alongside portraits and ritual moments from modern tattoo temples, the project traces the roots of Sak Yant in remote regions of Myanmar and Thailand, where older animist practices still survive.
Through a visual narrative that moves between devotion, symbolism, and lived belief, Sak Yant – Magical Tattoo offers an intimate look at a practice where body, faith, and identity converge — revealing a spiritual language etched into skin and carried across generations.
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