One of the features of the present time is the increased interest of young people in tattoos on the body. Tattoo is a cultural phenomenon that has a long history since its inception. The problem of the research lies in the fact that at present the youth subculture is considered as a rich source of innovations and discoveries in art, fashion, forms of leisure; as a variant of mass culture, a product of the media industry; as a form of creative activity of young people who do not find acceptance

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... nd support from the official culture. The author examines the features of tattoos of modern youth. A youth tattoo is compared with a criminal one. Emphasis is placed on the leading motivation of the tattoo – the need for self-expression. The regularity of the use of words and phrases to express attitudes towards reality and towards oneself is established. Emphasis is placed on similarities with prison tattoos. Foreign tattoos are compared with those that young people prefer to create plots and combined images. This study used the analysis of scientific literature, the formation of an expert questionnaire on the study of tattoo issues, as well as direct questioning of young people aged 18 to 28 years with further analysis of the results.