Mira Mariah

For Brooklyn-based tattoo artist Mira Mariah, art is a mission of reclamation. As women, she says, “we are often prodded, objectified, and our autonomy put in jeopardy. Through tattooing we often say, if not to the world, then to ourselves, ‘This is mine. I am mine.’” But for Mariah, who has designed for the likes of Ariana Grande, Piper Kerman, and Ilana Glazer, the reclamation of the body transcends ink. As a disabled artist, she advocates accessibility, both spatial and emotional, for people with disabilities. And while consulting for some issues may be routine, others might not be as obvious. “Is there a quiet room where people can take a short break from the chaos of the body? Will there be strobe lights? If there’s a video playing, will there be subtitles?” Asking these questions helps Mariah to understand the relationship between bodies and the spaces they occupy, with the aim of making people more comfortable with their surroundings—not unlike how a new tattoo could make one more comfortable in their own skin. —RK