Tattoos As An Art Form
Although tattoos have been around for hundreds of years, they only recently began receiving respect from the art community. Having a tattoo in 2017 is common, but there was a cloud of taboo hovering over body art for years. This resulting in tattoo artists not being taken seriously for their craft. But all this seems seems to be changing. There’s an increasing number of museum exhibits surrounding the art of tattoo, and this may be because there is a larger, more accepting audience to reach out to. These exhibits provide the tattoo community an opportunity to reach a broader audience of art enthusiasts.
In 2015, Hush made its first attempt at immersing itself in the arts by taking part in Art Basel Miami. Our Hush Pro Team artists were given a platform where they could showcase their skills to a live audience and allow everyone there to be part of a process not usually seen by many. Having our artists tattoo live was an opportunity for artists and visitors to engage with one another and it gave visitors an opportunity to embrace our craft the same way they would any other “traditional” art. Since that amazing experience, we have kept a close eye on the art scene and in return there has been a surge of attention from the art community focused on tattoos.
Tattoos on Display
The craft of tattoos has been showcased in museums nationwide including The Field Museum in Chicago and The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. These exhibits about tattoos and tattoo culture hosted at reputable museums are a great way for the taboo to continue dissipating and provide an opportunity to elevate the art of tattoos. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts exhibit focused on Japanese tattoos. The exhibit ran from May 2015 through November 2015, lasting a total of six months, due to its popularity. The awareness these exhibits have had allow for this intersection of tattoo and art to continue expanding. The extensive history of tattoos is finally being recognized as an art. Therefore, we may be able to see a fuller history from origin to present. As the acknowledgement tattoo artists deserve further expands, we will continue to elevate our craft and appreciate all talented artists.
Learn more about the exhibits mentioned through these links:
Hush: Art Basel VMFA: Japanese Tattoo Tattoo: The Field Museum Tattooed New York It is never too late to start your very own art collection and we hope you consider HUSH as a part of your journey. Relax and let the art happen!
