In the modern world, a tattoo has long ceased to be just a decoration or a sign of protest. Today, it is a powerful tool for self-identification, especially when it comes to returning to national roots. In Almaty, Saltanat Kuanova, working under the pseudonym tana.creator, has become a prominent representative of this movement. For her, Kazakh ornament is not just an aesthetic pattern, but a complex system of signs through which a modern person can rediscover their cultural memory and tell a personal story.
The Path from Dream to Professional Recognition
Saltanat’s interest in the art of body painting awakened early – by the age of 14, she clearly understood that this field would become her life’s work. It wasn’t a fleeting teenage hobby; the young woman approached the matter with academic seriousness. By 16, when her peers were just choosing future professions, Kuanova had already studied the theoretical basis, mastered the technical nuances through video tutorials, and was fully prepared for practical training. Her career began rapidly: after courses, the talented student was invited to work in a studio, where over three years she developed her recognizable style and built a base of loyal clients. Today, Saltanat has been practicing independently for over five years in her own private studio in Almaty, managing bookings through Instagram.
Recalling her first steps, the artist smiles as she talks about a tattoo with Roman numerals done for a model friend. However, she felt true responsibility when fulfilling her first paid commission – an image of a wolf with a dreamcatcher. Despite years of experience and her status as a recognized master, Saltanat believes that in tattoo art, it’s impossible to reach a “final” – it’s a path of constant growth and learning.
Ornament as a Living Language and Visual Grammar
The transition to working with national motifs was not accidental. At some point, the artist realized that traditional ornament possesses its own logic, structure, and even “grammar.” In this system, everything is important: from the curve of a line to the number of repeating elements. Each detail can radically change the intended meaning, turning a tattoo into a coded message. Today, Saltanat is approached not only by residents of Kazakhstan but also by representatives of other Turkic peoples – Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, and Tatars.
| Client Category | Motivation and Goal of the Tattoo |
|---|---|
| Travelers and Expats | Desire to preserve the memory of their stay in Kazakhstan through a visual symbol. |
| International Couples | A way to express respect for a partner’s culture and strengthen family ties. |
| Adopted Abroad | Search for lost roots and restoration of connection with their historical homeland. |
A special category includes people adopted by foreigners in childhood. For them, a tattoo with Kazakh ornament becomes an act of returning home, a physical embodiment of their identity, which cannot be taken away. According to Saltanat, such sessions are always filled with deep emotions and tears of joy.
Expert View: Tattoo as a Bridge Between Eras
From the perspective of tattoo culture, what tana.creator does can be called “neo-ethnic.” This is a global trend where artists do not just copy museum exhibits but adapt them to the anatomy of the body and contemporary aesthetics. In Kazakhstan, this process is closely linked to the search for national identity after decades of cultural unification. Saltanat emphasizes that tattoos today serve as a bridge. Many come to her, initially interested in history and culture, and only then decide on a tattoo, seeing it as a way to preserve heritage.
Collaboration with historians plays an important role in shaping the artist’s worldview. Saltanat highlights the work of Yrlan Pinbetov, who is engaged in reconstructing the objective history of Kazakhstan, cleansed of Soviet distortions. The artist herself studies the historian’s works to ensure her creations are well-founded. She is convinced that popularizing Turkic culture through creative formats – comics, cinema, tattoos – is the way to make the country’s history known to the whole world, as has happened with English-speaking cultures.
Industry Challenges: Economics, Religion, and “Uyat”
The development of the tattoo industry in the region faces a number of specific obstacles. As an expert, Saltanat identifies three key factors:
- Economic: According to Maslow’s hierarchy, tattoos are a higher-order need. During financial crises, demand for artists’ services falls first.
- Religious: Islamic tradition interprets tattoos as “haram,” which creates an internal conflict for many potential clients, even if they are not deeply religious.
- Social (“Uyat”): The fear of public condemnation and disapproval from the older generation still significantly limits freedom of self-expression in Kazakh society.
Despite this, the community is growing. Saltanat notes the contributions of other figures, such as Dauren Usenov from Astana, who is actively developing the industry by uniting artists. Kuanova herself sees her mission at the intersection of art and education. Her dream is to realize a large-scale project covering the entire body, where the system of ornaments would be structured as a single harmonious universe, reflecting the multifaceted nature of the Kazakh soul.