SEATTLE — “I believe tattooing is an intrinsic part of human self-expression,” says MoPOP curator Amalia Kozloff. “They're also just a way to identify yourself and to express yourself and to show the world who you are.”
From indigenous work dating back thousands of years to circus sideshows to World War 2 sailors to tattooed celebrities, the Museum of Pop Culture’s exhibit “Body of Work: Tattoo Culture” is a thoughtful look at the history of tattoos and where we are today.
“The popularity of tattooing has really exploded in the last 40 years and a lot of that is because of popular culture and so it seemed a natural fit for MoPop,” says Kozloff.
Here you'll learn the most popular tattoo is a rose, that countries like North Korea and even Germany restrict the kinds of tattoos people can get, and the names and works of Seattle's most celebrated artists.
If you’re so inclined, an interactive experience helps you choose the kind of tattoo that's right for you. Reporter Saint Bryan discovered Script, a style involving words is his best fit. A pain map tells visitors where tattoos will hurt the most and least. There’s also a chair where people can have tattoos projected on their skin.
“I think visitors are most going to be surprised by the kind of community that tattoo artists have and how tattoo artists aren’t big scary people,” says co-curator Chris Moore. “They’re just normal humans.”
MoPOP’s exhibit “Body of Work: Tattoo Culture” opens Saturday and runs through May 25, 2020.
MoPOP | 325 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
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