Tattoo Honolulu, Honolulu Museum of Art, 2013
The exhibition focuses special attention on women and tattoos, from the sideshow era through today. Photographs capture famous sideshow tattooed stars, including Nora Hildebrandt, 'the first professional tattooed lady;' La Belle Irene, 'the original tattooed lady;' and Lady Viola, 'the most beautiful tattooed lady in the world.' A painting by tattoo artist Ace Harlyn depicting famed Bowery tattooer Charlie Wagner tattooing Mildred Hull — the "first and only tattooist woman on the Bowery" — shows some of the 300+ tattoos she created on herself. The exhibition also addresses tattooing as an art form that enabled women to challenge gender roles and turn tattoos into signs of empowerment.
In 1961, New York City's Health Department declared it was "unlawful for any person to tattoo a human being," citing Hepatitis B as a concern. The ban sent tattoo artists underground and many continued working quietly from their homes, often taking clients at odd hours of the night. The exhibition features photographs from the apartment studios of Thom deVita and Mike Bakaty and tattoo designs from the era, including some made to be quickly concealed in case of random police raids. The work of fine artists who began to explore tattooing during the ban years will also be on display, including Ruth Marten, Mike Bakaty, and Spider Webb.
The tattoo ban was lifted in February 1997. Today, more than 270 tattoo studios are flourishing across the five boroughs. Footage of tattooing, filmed for the exhibition in several New York studios, demystifies the process. An audio tour invites visitors to listen to the voices of legendary tattoo artists who worked in New York City during the late 20th century. The international reach of New York’s influence on the art world today is demonstrated in works by tattoo artists from Denmark, Japan, Mexico, China, Brazil, the UK, and Italy.
The exhibition closes by depicting some of the ways in which New Yorkers today use tattoos for self-expression and empowerment. Tattoos covering mastectomy scars, for instance, represent a new beginning for breast cancer survivors. Commemorative tattoos worn by survivors of 9/11 are a permanent reminder to 'never forget.'
Exhibitions at the New-York Historical Society are made possible by Dr. Agnes Hsu-Tang and Oscar Tang, the Saunders Trust for American History, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Support provided by Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum.
Related Programming
Tattoo demonstration by artists from the five boroughs will take place on select weekends and will be announced on nyhistory.org and through New-York Historical’s social media channels.
On March 30, architectural historian Barry Lewis will explore the development of New York’s entertainment hub, Coney Island—an epicenter of tattoo culture particularly among stars of the famous Coney Island sideshows. On March 31, New-York Historical will show the classic film Moby Dick, starring Gregory Peck as the infamous Captain Ahab. On April 6, a screening of the historical documentary Into the Deep, followed by a conversation with the film’s director Ric Burns, will offer an insightful view of 300 years of the whaling industry.
About the New-York Historical Society
The New-York Historical Society, one of America’s preeminent cultural institutions, is dedicated to fostering research and presenting history and art exhibitions and public programs that reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today. Founded in 1804, New-York Historical has a mission to explore the richly layered history of New York City and State and the country, and to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history.
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