A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Best. Windows. Tattoo. Ever.

Or is it an anti-Windows tattoo? I’m not sure… Paul got this Windows 98 bluescreen tattoo done by Sam Rulz at Two Hands Tattoo in Auckland, New Zealand.

Update: If you’re wondering about the motivation, the artist explains,

What Paul loves most is the idea of explaining this tattoo to his grandkids, when Windows 98 is so outdated as to be completely obsolete. The knowledge that this tattoo’s subject will certainly become outdated was key to inspiring Paul’s decision to make something so indefinitely fleeting so indelible. As was the idea of taking something so mundane and using it in such a way usually reserved for subjects the wearer deems important. Truth is Paul doesn’t love Windows 98, and Paul doesn’t hate Windows 98, Paul doesn’t really give a fuck about Windows 98 one way or another.

The guts of it is; Paul wanted this Tattoo because it goes against the norm, it is not an image that one would see and instantly consider appropriating as a tattoo. It encourages people to think and ask questions, not necessarily ask Paul questions, but question what they currently think or know about Tattoos. That’s what good art does; it stirs conversation within the audience. The same goes for all other art forms, painting, film, music… You may not like it, you may not understand it, the important thing is that you’re thinking about it, you’re not just a passive viewer. All art has an intended audience, its very possible that what you are looking at, watching, or listening to …wasn’t made for you.

Comments

155 responses to “Best. Windows. Tattoo. Ever.”

  1. Venusimpelz Avatar
    Venusimpelz

    Is there a spammer/virus/something in here?

  2. ian Avatar
    ian

    the mask with the tongue hanging out and spikes on top…have the same one hanging in my room and tattooed on my shoulder blade. i thought mine was one of a kind 🙁

  3. dave Avatar
    dave

    hahahaha what an idiot…. 20$ says that guy is a virgin

  4. ResX Avatar
    ResX

    Shouldve gotten a mac “Beach ball of death”…

  5. Dexter Avatar
    Dexter

    Why didn’t he paint his arm in blue?

  6. HereKittyKitty Avatar
    HereKittyKitty

    Oh bad flashbacks! The Blue Screen of Death! And always in the middle of something important =(

  7. JohnT Avatar
    JohnT

    Never ceases to amaze me what people will do. That is cute for now but how about 30-40 years down the road when he won’t be able to read it as it fades. Yes we do all age.

  8. jj Avatar

    that’s the most retarded tattoo i’ve ever seen.

  9. Larz Avatar
    Larz

    what is the thought behind this? has he suffered by the bsod so much that he has to have a public record of it?

  10. Michael J. Crighton Williamson III Avatar
    Michael J. Crighton Williamson III

    I can imagine mac users must be confused. The concept of written instructions on a screen tend to frighten the “one button mouse” brigade 🙂

  11. xCaptainx Avatar

    Hahah this dude is my flatmate, he fucking rules. My gf, Sam, did the tattoo! http://www.myspace.com/samrulzok is her tattoo myspace page.

    Best tattoo idea ever. I told him that he should get a mac tattoo, then said ‘ah nah wait, they never crash’. Turns out the next day I got a Kernel Panic and my comp is totally fucked. Karma’s a bitch!

  12. JoaephRE Avatar
    JoaephRE

    blue screen of death… is that the best you can do mac fans? how about “this application unexpectedly quit…”, you can’t even give me a reason. Or the good ol color wheel which sticks around like a giant herpy. all you mac users are probably aware that pc has far superior gaming abilities, and far superior games. And Im sure all of you douche bag mac users are aware that pretty much all buisnesses used microsoft spread sheets. So why don’t you guys go make another “cool movie” about it, and we’ll keep the buisnesses around the world running, including apple. Ha ha bitches, mac sucks.

  13. Leavethepoliticstomadmen Avatar
    Leavethepoliticstomadmen

    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ITS THE BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH!!

    So many lost essays and reports!!

    *runs to hide* If I can’t see it, it didn’t happen!

  14. Sassie_L Avatar

    I love my Mac for that exact reason. I love this tattoo, and I love how even the lettering is.

  15. Mac_on_a_pc Avatar
    Mac_on_a_pc

    Haven’t had any BSOD messages on my PC of ages osx x86 if far superior to windoze on any pc but I wouldn’t write NERD all over my arm

  16. Jesper Avatar
    Jesper

    Hehe nice, though I would rather have a Guru Meditation (hint Amiga) tattoo. 🙂

  17. Andy Avatar
    Andy

    Wouldn’t it just suck, if the tattoo artist accidentally made a typo?

  18. Shannon Larratt Avatar

    Andy, yeah, the tattoo might crash?

  19. Sam Rulz Avatar

    due to the massive ignorant speculation on so many geek forums, here is why Paul got it:

    http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=146907343&blogID=293176897

  20. wintermute Avatar
    wintermute

    I thought I was a nerd because I had this on a t-shirt…I bow before this dude, and hand him the crown of nerdness.

  21. alicia23 Avatar
    alicia23

    pero que es esto? lo proximo que será tatuarse la biblia en verso?? dios que pirada esta la gente. y yo me hago una pregunta: por que no hay ningun comentario español en este foro?? soy yo la unica tonta que escribe aqui? VIVA SPAIN, JODER!

  22. silvia Avatar
    silvia

    pues no se…….. para ser para toda la vida me parece un tema de tattoo un poco equivocado….. pero si a el le gusta…..

  23. Igor23 Avatar
    Igor23

    Pos Hija no eres la unica, este tio es mas tonto que pichote que me tio la picha en un bote y no la pudo sacar..
    Estamos en la epoca en la que todo el mundo busca sus 15 minutos de fama a base de demostrar su deficiencia mental.

    UN SALUDO PA TODOS.

    VIVA ESPAÑA COJONES

  24. ALbert Avatar
    ALbert

    ERES UN PRINGAO! ajajajaj
    Vaya gente mas enferma..

  25. ALbert Avatar
    ALbert

    ali 23, viva viva vivaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

  26. Michael Kelly Avatar

    Haha this is the best. He should get a mac wheel on his chest now too! He might be a bigger nerd than I am. I’m on federal house arrest for “hacking”. http://www.freemikekelly.org But this guy has this forever!

  27. uno Avatar
    uno

    q tio mas gilipoyas!!!

  28. spaz Avatar
    spaz

    jajajajjajajajjajajajajaj a eso es a lo que se le llama un verdadero friki o komo se escriba… en fin.. hay gente pa to… personalmente no e visto un tatto mas feo en mi vida… q asko…

  29. mario23 Avatar
    mario23

    vaya una mierda de tatuaje,ya veremos si con el paso del tiempo esas letras siguen igual de nitidas xDD

    a to esto alicia,porque no me agregas al msn,que es [email protected] y asi luego podemos decir que nos conocimos en un blog de un guiri,bueno la idea es tonta,pero los dos venimos del mismo lao,ea

  30. A Avatar
    A

    Gilipollas

  31. Julian Avatar
    Julian

    Ni friki ni leches, eso es un verdadero gilipollas!!

  32. Only passing by Avatar
    Only passing by

    What an asshole. The ugliest tattoo ever. Stupid fucks like you should not be born.

  33. koke Avatar
    koke

    Vaya pedazo de gilipollas !!! Hay que ser muy friki…..

  34. alicia23 Avatar
    alicia23

    que te den por saco mario23. fíjate lo tonto que eres que solo te falta hacerte el Tatuaje Windows este de mierda.

  35. doctorpoopy Avatar
    doctorpoopy

    only thing gayer than this tattoo is the fags bragging about their Macs. all of you, die

  36. hay k ser tonto Avatar
    hay k ser tonto

    vaya subnormal

  37. sarunas Avatar
    sarunas

    now it’s funny but let see when you get older if you still want to have this tatoo..

  38. Albertini Avatar
    Albertini

    Te tienes una pedrada de cojones

  39. rafa Avatar
    rafa

    Un auténtico gilipollas. Otro pobre tipo patético de los que desgraciadamente abundan por la red.
    G I L I P O L L A S

  40. POLLOPUTO Avatar

    Creía que lo había visto todo en cuanto a idioteces en la red…

  41. mario23 Avatar
    mario23

    ati si que te iva a gustar que te diese “por saco”

    y no,no tengo tatuajes ni me gustan,matá

  42. beck Avatar
    beck

    it could write: GURU MEDITATON
    or maybe update its brain’s drivers!
    =(

  43. Joder Avatar
    Joder

    A este tio habria que ir a buscarle a su casa y cortarle el brazo con una lima. Hay que ser subnormal pero bueno q haga lo que quiera.

  44. nosferatum Avatar
    nosferatum

    Vaya tonteria de tatuaje,ademas de ser estar en un sitio q no viene a cuento. como decian por hay ese tatuaje en un futuro no tiene ni pizca d gracia y menos hay.

  45. cyndi Avatar
    cyndi

    too bad stupid isn’t painful …… what a moron

  46. elchampi Avatar
    elchampi

    w0w… you’re terribly stupid! Into 10 years, you will visit the “laser store”.

  47. MPG Avatar
    MPG

    Por el bien de la especie humana, espero que este tio (o gilipollas que es mas correcto) nunca tenga descendencia.

  48. alicia23 Avatar

    Venga chicos, ir dejandome el email de cada uno que va a haber un striptis exclusivo para uno al azar. 😛

  49. mariflor Avatar

    vaya tela lo ke hay ke ver!! hay gente pa’ to!!

    Saludos a la gente de yonkis

Latest Tattoo, Piercing, and Body Modification News

  • Skin and Strings: The Art of Human Puppetry
    One of the most powerful things about being at a convention like OSC is the sheer concentration of experience, creativity, and capability in one place. When you’re surrounded by people who not only understand the technical complexities of suspension but are excited by the challenge… Read more: Skin and Strings: The Art of Human Puppetry
  • Twelve Points to the Sky
    There’s a particular kind of magic that happens at your first big suspension gathering when you arrive with nerves, an open heart, and the quiet hope of flight. Guided by the encouragement of mentor Lynn Loheide and driven by the quiet confidence of belonging, Alex… Read more: Twelve Points to the Sky
  • Ontario SusCon 2025
    In March 2025, BME attended the Ontario Suspension Convention in Hamilton, hosted by the Kevin Donaghy and the Ontario Suspension Collective. We had the pleasure to take part and help document the event, but also run a booth to sell a bunch of old (but… Read more: Ontario SusCon 2025
  • Welcome Back to Body Modification Ezine
    Dear BME Community, We’ve been gone far too long, but BME is back to give people a voice, a space, a community. With time everything evolves, and BME may be different than you remember. Our goal is to stay true to Shannon and Rachel’s values… Read more: Welcome Back to Body Modification Ezine
  • BME Social Media
    Word of mouth has been our method of reuniting the community, and it has brought a substantial amount of us together. I am inspired by your loyalty and I want to remind more people of BME’s existence. In 2020 we gained control over @bmezine on… Read more: BME Social Media
  • BMEShop
    Despite the hurricanes in 2015 which destroyed almost all of what Rachel owned, she managed to save the original inventory from BME. We have relisted some of the stock on BMEShop.com with the hopes you may be interested.  Our first drop includes a selection of… Read more: BMEShop