Enigmatic Tattoos Imagine Beautiful Women Wearing Animal-Inspired Headpieces

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

Tattooist and painter Edit Ben Gida takes a realistic approach to her art while infusing surrealist imagery into her enigmatic pieces. Working primarily as a tattoo artist, Edit’s most striking body art features women with animal-inspired headpieces—a theme that extends to her oil paintings.

In Edit’s works, her subjects wear bejeweled headcovers that have spider-like legs dangling from carapaces. Other headpieces are shaped like moths, wings and all, while bugs crawl on the face of another. Each tattoo is rendered with great care, creating a glowing ethereality of the faces, while the headdresses invite us to pause and consider them beyond their innate beauty.

This pause we take is part of Edit’s artistic vision. “Edit’s art explores the intricate interplay between beauty, cataloging, aging, preservation, and immortality,” states the artist’s website. “She invites viewers to question conventional aesthetics and contemplate the evolution of beauty, an ever-evolving dialogue with death and playing with matter.”

Edit’s interest in Egyptian culture greatly influences her art. Specifically, she’s interested in the juxtaposition of “glorifying beauty and the constant reminder of death and immortality” that is present in Egyptian art.

Edit is a multifaceted creative with online classes on how to master realistic tattoo art. To see what she's working on next, you can follow Edit Ben Gida on Instagram.

Tattooist Edit Ben Gida takes a realistic approach to her art while infusing surrealist imagery into her enigmatic pieces.

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

Her most striking body art features women with animal-inspired headpieces.

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

Each tattoo is rendered with great care, creating a glowing ethereality of the faces, while the headdresses invite us to pause and consider them beyond their innate beauty.

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

This pause we take is part of her artistic vision. “Edit’s art explores the intricate interplay between beauty, cataloging, aging, preservation, and immortality,” her website states.

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

In addition to her surreal tattoos of women, Edit creates art history-inspired designs.

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

Surreal Tattoos by Edit Ben Gida

She translates her imagery into oil paintings, too.

Painting by Edit Ben Gida

Painting by Edit Ben Gida

Painting by Edit Ben Gida

Painting by Edit Ben Gida

Painting by Edit Ben Gida

Edit Ben Gida: Website | Instagram | Online Classes

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Edit Ben Gida.

Related Articles:

Colorful Vertical Tattoos Look Like Portals Into Studio Ghibli and Other Animated Worlds

Intricate Blue Ink Tattoos Wrap the Body in Sprawling Chinese-Inspired Dragon Designs

Cheeky Pop Culture Tattoos Combine Beloved Fandoms With Fine Art

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
Become a
My Modern Met Member
As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts.
Become a Member
Explore member benefits