08/25/2026
A Step Away from Skin
August 1st - September 25th
For many people, tattoo artists are known only through the images they create on someone else's body. A Step Away from Skin invites viewers to look beyond that familiar canvas and discover the artists themselves.
This exhibition brings together tattoo artists working outside the boundaries of skin, revealing deeply personal explorations through painting, drawing, sculpture, pyrography, mixed media, and other traditional and experimental processes. While the technical precision, composition, and visual storytelling developed through tattooing remain evident, these works demonstrate a freedom to investigate ideas that exist beyond commissions and client requests.
The exhibition highlights the remarkable diversity within the tattoo community. Rather than representing a single aesthetic, visitors will encounter abstraction alongside realism, intimate self-portraits beside surreal narratives, quiet observations of nature alongside emotionally charged symbolism. Each artist brings a distinct voice, reminding us that tattooing is not a style. It is a creative practice rooted in the broader language of art.
By removing the body as the canvas, this show gives a chance for these artists to share work that is entirely their own. These pieces speak to personal histories, curiosities, and creative ambitions that often remain unseen behind the walls of a tattoo studio. Together, they challenge assumptions about tattoo artists while celebrating their place within the larger world of contemporary art.
This exhibition is an invitation to see tattoo artists not simply as skilled craftspeople, but as accomplished artists whose creativity extends far beyond the skin.
