Among the most popular tattoos: Butterflies, angel wings and skulls. This exhibition focuses on the final item. Titled “Skull Session,” a new show organized by the Lyle Tuttle Collection rounds up historic tattoo drawings and ephemera.
See hundreds of skull tattoo art designs by the greatest legends in tattooing: Bert Grimm, Stoney St Clair, Ralph Johnstone, Doc Forbes and many others, across American traditional, folk, and European tattoo art genres. Many of the sheets and ephemera pieces date back to the 1920s. It's all sourced from the collection of Lyle Tuttle.
If you haven't heard of Lyle Tuttle, he's considered the grandfather of modern popular tattoo. With a 70-year career in tattooing, he's tattooed on all seven continents, starting from beginnings in San Francisco. He popularized tattooing, helped make it socially acceptable for women to be tattooed, and tattooed countless stars. His collection began with his first tattoo in 1946, and over the years, he amassed what is known as the largest and best collection of tattoo art history and artifacts in the world. At the exhibit, check out a short documentary about his life in tattooing.
See Skull Session on Friday, August 9, from 5-8pm at 1 Ludlow Street in The Bowery where free tickets will be available at the door.