INTERVIEW: CELIA DUNNE 'MY BODY, MY BUSINESS'
Meet Celia. One of our favourite tattoo artists (based in Adelaide), a lover of all things horror and the founder of ‘My Body, My Business’.
What is ‘My Body, My Business’?
Well originally it stemmed from the debate over laws regarding abortion rights was going on in America. I wanted to create a tattoo to raise awareness that no one has rights over your body other than yourself, especially government bodies in this case. Originally the tattoo was for that intent alone but over time people started coming in and still getting it done for other more personal reasons.
Thoughts on 2020 and where women are realistically at with our bodies and rights?
Honestly 2020 seems to be this whole separate entity from everything else haha. Like this looming monster that no one can really escape at the moment, so we have no choice but to face it head on. I think everybody is still battling for human rights in so many different regards everyday. Ones I can’t even begin to list myself because I can’t even list all the experiences and battles all individuals are facing. But there’s a lot.
What inspired you to start My Body My Business?
I decided to start making merchandise and having a legitimate business in place so I can in future collaborate with charities and foundations. The merchandise gives people the option of wearing it rather than committing to the tattoo, or even for those overseas who may want to be able to wear the words. I am currently donating 10% of each purchase to keep the business sustainable. But hopefully I am wanting to be able to do larger portions of donations in the future to various charities.
Where do you want to see things in the future?
I have no real idea right now! I’m enjoying playing with ideas at the moment, but would also never want to be a big corporation or factory. I believe in small business and ethics. Plus I love working with everything personally so if all goes well, working part time with tattooing and MBMB on the side. I want to do some collaborations, fundraisers, and some other cute merch though.
Something for the haters:
if I could say anything to people protesting the line it’s as simple as the words itself hahah, my body MY BUSINESS.
Mind your own.
If you had the power to change one thing about the world?
One thing about the world, that’s hard the worlds such a mess hahaha. Right now if I could magically end racism, fascism, homophobia, transphobia or any discrimination at all I fucking would.
Are women equal?
I think women are in ways rising to more power and rights than before, but there’s so much progress needed in other places as well so no. I think feminism needs to be directed to women in third world countries, women who haven’t got access to funds, education, healthcare etc that some of us have. List goes on.
In daily regards, say for someone with privilege like myself ( white female living in oz) we face being in danger still just from walking down the street at night, almost all certain lines of work we all face danger and harassment to some level or another, and I still think you don’t get taken as seriously as a woman with what you’re doing at times.
How can women or men do better to support the concept of 'my body, my business'?
All genders and all people I think can benefit from the words MBMB (also I’m no preacher or martyr, so don’t take my words as gospel) by spreading the words that state so simply that one can do whatever they want with their own body and it affects no one else but themselves.
Life becomes much simpler once you stop focusing on other people’s business.
Favourite thing about tattooing?
Everything about tattooing makes me so grateful and rewarded to have the job I do. My clients are fucking amazing and making tattoos that they love and having people support my work honestly keeps me going. Just the fact that someone wants to wear something by me forever is pretty damn cool.
What inspires your style of work?
Classical artwork and literature, Mythology, Film and even Couture fashion are huge inspirations behind my work. I was lucky to grow up painting and reading from a young age and that inspired a lot of my art, and how I came to realise tattooing was my most viable option as a job.
I love recreating what the masters already got right in my own style. When I’m not tattooing I’m usually reading, researching and painting and that’s where a lot of my ideas come from. I have a need to be preoccupied at all times and it’s both a blessing and a curse haha.
I’ve had the privilege of working at a few stores here and interstate but am currently working at The Grim Raptor here in Adelaide and it’s been the best so far.
FOLLOW CELIA:
INSTAGRAM: @celiadunnetattoos / mybody___mybusiness
SHOP: https://mybodymybusiness.bigcartel.com/
