tattoo - Gewerbemuseum

Media release – exhibition
TATTOO
Exhibition from 7 September 2013 to 9 June 2014
at the Gewerbemuseum Winterthur, Switzerland
Tattoos by Gwendal & Karl Marc
Kept under wraps in winter and proudly displayed in summer: tattoos are now ubiquitous. However, tattoos
are much more than just a current mass phenomenon and trendy fashion accessory: all cultures throughout
the world are familiar with the tradition of tattooing, and human skin has always been used as a canvas for
tattoo art. Tattooing is therefore one of the earliest art forms and oldest handicrafts. The TATTOO exhibition
currently being mounted by the Gewerbemuseum Winterthur lies at the interface between culture, art and
design; it explores the vibrant, innovative and multifaceted tattoo culture of today.
Tattoos are about permanence. Pigments are inserted under the skin forever, yet they are as transient as the life of the
person who bears them. They tell personal stories, create identity and affiliation, embellish, heal, protect. They
fascinate or repulse, are mythologised and play a part in fashion trends. Although they were for a long time a means of
self-expression for specific groups in western culture, they have since become so commonplace that they are now part
of the mainstream.
The TATTOO exhibition is dedicated to old traditions and new stories, with a focus on artistic, artisanal and culturespecific issues. It includes international exhibits from diverse perspectives and considers current debates, for the topic
of skin as a medium of communication is becoming an increasingly important subject for cultural research. The tradition
of tattooing is one such theme that has been attracting more and more attention recently, although still less than might
be expected when one considers the widespread popularity of tattoos.
This is the first time that an exhibition has drawn together such a wide spectrum of references, presenting the current
phenomenon of the tattoo with a particular focus on art and design. The continuing interest in these enduring pictures,
words and symbols also inspires artists and designers who work with tattoos. Not only do they use them as a theme in
their work, but they are creating a completely new scene – the latest influences from the arts, traditional tattoo art and
visual culture are therefore also an important feature of the exhibition.
TATTOO is being mounted as part of the "Winterthurer Kulturherbst" arts festival, and this first story about skin paves
the way for the next exhibition entitled Skin to Skin (1 December 2013 to 9 June 2014), which explores the theme of
skin in the broader sense as expressed in design, art and medicine. Together, the two exhibitions form a single entity
with a varied programme of performances, interventions and live acts by well-known tattoo artists, the film series
Tattoos im Film and much more.
With the participation of
Emanuelle Antille (CH) / Masahiko Adachi (JP) / Cookie Bros (NL) /Imogen Cunningham (USA) / Wim Delvoye (BEL) /
Chris Eckert (USA) / Goran Galić & Gian-Reto Gredig (CH) / Happypets (CH) / Herbert Hoffmann (DE/CH) / Mario
Marchisella (CH) / Enrique Marty (ESP) / The Rich Mingins Collection (GB) / Becky Nunes (NZ) / Jens Uwe Parkitny
(DE) / Klaus Pichler (AUT) / Christian Poveda (FR) / Rodolphe Archibald Reiss (DE/CH) / Fumie Sasabuchi (JP) /
Santiago Sierra (ESP) / Aroon Thaewchatturat (THA) / Timm Ulrichs (DE) / Artur Żmijewski (POL), and others.
2
SKIN TO SKIN
Exhibition at the Gewerbemuseum from 1 December 2013 to 9 June 2014
Preliminary information can be found at www.gewerbemuseum.ch/en/exhibitions/preview.
Detailed media releases will follow.
INFORMATION FOR MEDIA PROFESSIONALS
Susanna Kumschick, Deputy Director Gewerbemuseum/Curator, [email protected] or
Luzia Davi, Media/Communication, [email protected], telephone +41 (0)52 267 51 36
MEDIA IMAGES for TATTOO
Media images are available for download as high-resolution JPG files at www.gewerbemuseum.ch/Medien zum
Download. Please comply with the rules on identifying the photographers and respecting copyrights. Further images
will be added as they become available. Please address any specific enquiries regarding images to Luzia Davi,
Media/Communication Gewerbemuseum, [email protected].
Gewerbemuseum Winterthur
Kirchplatz 14
CH-8400 Winterthur
Tel. +41 (52) 267 51 36
[email protected]
www.gewerbemuseum.ch
Gewerbemuseum opening hours
Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00-17:00 / Thursday 10:00-20:00
Closed Monday
Special bank holiday opening times: see www.gewerbemuseum.ch
Admission: CHF 8 / CHF 5
Free admission for children and young people up to the age of 16 and
school classes