The body is a canvas for us to shape in whichever way we see fit. We exercise to sculpt it and decorate it with piercings. Tattoos provide a unique way to share our personality or to tell our story. The ink we paint our canvases with can tell a thousand words of what is important to us, what we have been through, and who we are.
Bryam Rebellón
Locomotive Midfielder Bryam Rebellón has one of the most intricate pieces on the team. A mural painted across his chest features the names of his parents, a watch and a compass, framing hands pressed together in prayer. Each piece of the mural symbolizes something meaningful to Bryam. The names of his parents show his closeness to family; The watch serves as a reminder that time is precious; the compass to remember where he came from; The hands to represent his faith in God.
The overall experience took 12 hours to complete – time that he spent in one sitting rather than done in sessions. Bryam explained he didn’t want any hard lines, instead wanting everything to be done through shadows and gradients, a style that only extended the amount of time he sat in the chair. While he recounted the experience being a painful one, it was one that he said was worth it.
Leandro Carrijo
Recent signee, Forward Leandro Carrijo has an array of ink on him, with five pieces in total. For Carrijo, each tattoo represents different things, but he stated, in the end, each one represents the feelings he has for God, his family and he likes each of them.
The first tattoo the Brazilian striker has is text across his back that read Paz de Cristo. On his right arm is a small cross, a tattoo that he shares with his wife, while on his left arm is a beautifully colored mural of his daughter. His calves feature a cross with a rosary and a Menorah to represent the Hanukkah miracle. While each one is very intricate in design, Carrijo said it was the colored mural on his left arm that took the longest, because of the various colors and details.
Josue Aaron Gomez
Forward Aaron Gomez features the face of a proud lion on his bicep, with its mane flowing. The elaborate shading for the fur and details of the lion took about three and a half hours to complete. The mural on his arm represents leadership and union, two powerful qualities to carry onto the pitch, but the meaning goes even deeper. For Gomez, the lion also represents always being close to his family.
Each player’s tattoos hold a deep meaning to them. They are telling of who they are on and off the pitch as they represent their values and principles just like the Locomotive badge they wear proudly on the front of their kits.