Spherical People Tattoo
The “Spherical People”based in a Fornasetti plate. Idea from the talented @vallellel • For my beloved Friend and accomplice @joyo__ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️• #TattooArtist #TattooArt
Plato’s myth of the Spherical People, as told by Aristophanes in Symposium, describes how humans were once whole, spherical beings with four arms, four legs, and two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them in half, condemning them to spend their lives searching for their missing part. The story acknowledges diverse forms of love—some people originally belonged to same-sex pairings, making it an early recognition of queer love as natural. Additionally, the myth challenges rigid gender binaries, as the original beings existed beyond conventional male-female distinctions.
This resonates with queer theory, reflecting themes of identity, self-discovery, and the societal fragmentation of queer existence. Much like how Zeus’ punishment weakened people, oppressive social norms attempt to limit LGBTQ+ identities. However, just as the split beings seek wholeness, queer individuals reclaim their identities, love, and community in defiance of imposed limitations. The myth serves as a powerful metaphor for queer resilience, non-binary fluidity, and the fundamental human right to love freely.
The No_Tattoo project takes inspiration from this myth, reinterpreting its vision of human nature through the lens of a late Fornasetti design. By blending classical symbolism with surrealist aesthetics, it explores themes of identity, connection, and the innate desire for completeness.
Anselm Feuerbach, “Das Gastmahl” (2nd version, 1874). On the left, the drunk Alkibiades, standing in the centre, the host Agathon, on the right Socrates and Aristophanes. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/. Public domain