WATCH: Tattooed Alderney woman promotes 'world piece'

Wednesday 19 June 2019

A 70-year-old Alderney woman has joined 61 people from all over the world to get a joined-up tattoo to promote global peace as part of a project that has now reached more than 50 million people.

Entitled ‘The World Piece’, the art project used the medium of tattoo to convey a message of human solidarity.

The video – which has received a global response – saw strangers from different countries join together, using their bodies as a "canvas" to represent their commitment to bringing the world together.

Alderney's Jane Aireton was invited to take part in the project earlier this year, being chosen from around 6,500 applicants. Along with the other participants, she was sent the design for a tattoo representing qualities that bring humans together.

Video: 'How far would you go to bring the world closer together?' the project asked.

Following a recommendation from "the plumber in Alderney who had the most tattoos I know", Jane visited White Inc. in Guernsey to discuss having the design tattooed on her back.

In the months following their meeting, Andrew Woodward from White Inc. received an email from a tattoo company asking that he make space for Jane as soon as possible.

"At first I thought it was just spam," he explained, "but the next day they rang me and asked if I could get Jane in for a tattoo. I had no idea of how big it was at the time." 

Despite being booked up for the rest of the year, Andrew "squeezed her in" to his schedule ahead of the event, saying he "knew how much it meant to her."

On 25 March this year, the 61 participants made their way to London - with some travelling much further than others - to meet and share aspects of their lives with each other. 

Video: Jane described the atmosphere as "buzzing" after the tattooed group finally came together.

"There were all different ages and backgrounds and languages," Jane told Express, adding that "it was as diverse as possible. I was the only one from the UK."

Each of the participants stayed in different hotels before the event and were provided with a 'uniform' of a pale green leotard or shorts.

Jane was the oldest of the group while the youngest person taking part was 19 years old.

"I could have felt quite out of it, but they were all so accepting of all of us," she said. 

"We're not actors. Nothing was for effect. We were 'naked' so there was nothing to set one person above another. We just were ourselves.

"It was all an amazing surprise when we saw the tattoos. We just all felt a common emotion - our genuine feeling of being included."

Pictured: The project brought together 61 people from all over the world.

The tattoos were designed by world-renowned artist Mo Ganji who is known for his 'mono-linear' works - using one unbroken black line to portray ideas and emotions.

"I was so pleased we could have somebody in Guernsey do the tattoo," Jane continued, "tattoos have been around forever. There's a history to it."

Since taking part in the video, she has stayed in touch with a number of the other participants through a WhatsApp group.

"If you've got an open mind and are willing to celebrate diversity - that is what it's all about," she explained. "It shows most ordinary people want to get along with each other.

"Stand together. Help each other. Then you will get somewhere." 

The project was organised by travel search website Momondo, which claims 78% of people believe humans should "stand together" to make the world a better place.

This is a sentiment which also resonates with Jane after participating in the project: "I'd heard it said about all men being brothers, but I never realised what it meant until we were stood together."