Photographs by Corrado Serra.

“We are proud to present Tattooed New York and offer our visitors an immersive look into the littleknown history of modern tattooing,” said Dr. Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of the New-York Historical Society. “At the convergence of history and pop culture, the exhibition will track the evolution of this fascinating form of self-expression and the city’s influence on the phenomenon.”

“Tattooed New York explores early communities of body art aficionados—such as Native Americans, sailors and soldiers, society women, and “tattooed ladies”—as well as examine how identity is expressed through tattoos today. It will follow the evolution of tattoo technology, from pricking and poking techniques to machines; track the rise of New York City’s Bowery neighborhood as a hotbed of tattoo culture in the 1920s–30s; share the creative and secretive ways that tattooing continued during the ban; and feature artwork by some of the finest New York tattoo artists working today.” — New-York Historical Society

Tattooed New York is curated by Cristian Petru Panaite, assistant curator of exhibitions at the New- York Historical Society.