The love story between NYC and tattooing started a long time ago, and although a bit dysfunctional, it lasted throughout the years, a total ban and Covid, and it’s thriving today.
New Yorkers definitely love their tattoos! A little history facts for you: Tattooing as a cultural expression of identity, can be found first in NYC among the Indigenous Lenape tribes, and there’s evidence that both men and women had tattooed patterns on their bodies. Native American tribes were the first to use tattooing as a magical and sacred marking.
Around 1870 Martin Hildebrandt, the City’s first-known tattoo artist, opened what’s believed to be the first tattoo shop in the United States, located in today’s Chinatown, starting what is called modern tattooing.
In 1875 Samuel O’Reilly opened up his tattoo studio, and patented in 1891 the first electric tattoo machine, opening the way to few tattooers around Brooklyn and the Bowery.
In 1904 Charlie Wagner decided to improve the O’Reilly electric machine and patented his own, becoming one of the most famous tattooers on the Bowery, later including Willie Moskowitz and the first lady tattooer Mildred Hull.
From the 1900s onward, NYC saw a proliferation of tattoo parlors often together with barber/haircut shops, around Brooklyn, Queens and the Bowery, and tattooed ladies became an attraction in travelling circuses all around the country.
In 1961, during an outbreak of Hepatitis, the City decided to ban the practice of tattooing in the five boroughs. That didn’t stop tattoo artists from operating their craft, like, for example, Thom DeVita, or Michelle Myles, she started tattooing underground in 1991, and later, together with Brad Fink, opened up one of the first studios in NYC, Daredevil Tattoo. Today you can scroll through numerous antique tattoo flash and memorabilia in their museum as well. Other shops that made NYC history were Sacred Tattoo, Fun City Tattoo and a handful more.
The ban did not stop customers from looking for a tattoo artist. For example, when in 1996 NY Adorned opened up in the Lower east side as a piercing and jewelry shop, everyone knew behind the glass door there were tattoo artists at work! Names like Mike Ledger, Mike Rubendall, Chris Garver or Stephanie Tamez among others, they were (and still are) some of the best artists in the world!
So in 1997 the ban on tattooing in NYC was finally lifted and artists could finally show their face and operate in the light. No more hidden back rooms or anonymous addresses. Some loved the change while others still refer to it as ‘the good old days’, and from that moment on, the once underground world was going to experience a whole new shift, leading to the present times and the commercialization of tattooing to the masses. Something that nobody would have predicted back in the days, when tattoos were reserved mostly to outcasts, sailors, rebels and criminals!
Also important to say in 1989 Unimax Tattoo Supplies opened up its doors on Canal street, and the owner Wes Wood was also an important factor in the legalization of tattooing, together with Clayton Patterson, photographer, activist and author. They were also among the founders of the Tattoo Society of NY and their monthly meetings about the state of tattooing remain iconic up to this day! Names like Spider Webb, Jonathan Shaw, Sean Vasquez, Tony Polito, Andrea Ealston, Timothy Hoyer, Shotsie Gorman, tattoo historian Mike McCabe, photographer Steve Bonge, Coney Island performer Mike Wilson and few more, contributed to the conversation on tattoo culture that, in a matter of few years, went from underground to mainstream.
In 1997, the one and only official NYC Tattoo convention was established at the historical Roseland Ballroom, and once a year that was the place to be in NYC!
Home to all the best tattoo artists, collectors, freaks and curious. That convention was so loved and recognized worldwide, it became iconic!
So when in 2014 they decided to close the Roseland and later demolish it, that was the end of the convention and the end of an era for NYC. A real loss for the cultural /tattoo scene. That convention was what brought me to NYC in the first place, I came from Italy to document the tattoo scene and photograph the convention for a tattoo magazine. It was 2002.. a lifetime ago.
In all these years there has been no real convention that came close to what the Roseland’s spirit was, and that was really missed. That unmatched feeling of history, old school tradition, the iconic artists that became known worldwide, all that built the foundations of what tattooing is today and the new ones that followed in their footsteps, contributed to the experience. That seemed lost forever…
So when I heard this year Anthony Civorelli aka CIV (singer of Gorilla Biscuits, and seasoned tattooer/owner of Lotus Tattoo), was gonna revive the Roseland convention, I got really excited! And let me tell you, it was good to relive a similar experience! It was a closing circle for me personally. I got to photograph the convention, show my photography, see old friends and make new ones. It did feel like going back home in a way!
Some of the best tattoo artists worldwide were in attendance such as Grime, Chad Koeplinger, Noble, Michelle Myles, Brad Fink, Paul Dobleman, Henry Lewis, Justin Wheatherholtz, Chris O’ Donnell, Yoni Zilber, Jeff Rassier, Scott Sylvya, Steve Byrne, Jef Whitehead, Robert Ryan, Juan Puente, Matt Pardo and many more.
Also Japanese tattooing was well represented by artists like Kiku, Jose Chalarca, Horimono, David Sena, Jimmy Leandro, Diego Martin, Rodrigo Canteras, Geoff Horn, Michael Gary, Chris Wielk, Shinji, Rodrigo Melo, Jill Bonny, Regino Gonzales, and Mutsuo, among others.
A first time also for the Irezumi Meet Up, organized by Jordan (www.gaijink.com) @theuniversalmonster, with many incredible Japanese pieces, shown by some very passionate collectors! That was really awesome to witness!
On stage, as part of the jury, the iconic Clayton Patterson @claytonles, who captured the essence of the Lower East Side and NYC tattooing for many years, introduced and interviewed many tattoo personalities, like Wes Wood himself! Clayton was also selling his famous embroidered hats and his latest book “In the shadows”, about the complete history of NYC underground tattooing (by Tribal publishing) Not to be missed!
The old school was also well represented by staples of tattooing such as Mike Perfetto, Mike Wilson, Angelo Miller, Mike Schweigert, Bowery Marvin Moskowitz, Ritchie Montgomery, Ronnie dell’Aquila, Richie Fie, Mike Wilson, Shane Enholm, Stevie Wells, Mehai Bakaty, Albert Sgambati, etc…
Some of my favorite women in attendance were Lauren Bartram, Lara Scotton, Mina Aoki, Katja Ramirez, Heather Bailey, Anna Melo, Gionna Cuccolo, Jessie Fora, Kate Collins, Marah Kelso, Britney Goodman, Stacey Martin-Smith, Tiffany Collins and Jane Lee, among others! Stellar names all together!!
Events like the Lyle Tuttle skull art show, Daredevil Tattoo’s Lady Liberty exhibit and Michelle Myles tattoo tour, Shawn Barber doing live paintings, awesome live bands like Into Another, Orange 9mm, Earth Crisis and more, vegan food and a car show by the Rumblers cc, completed an overall amazing weekend! It was a full house, packed with legendary names of tattooing and everyone knew everybody else! Good tattooing, respect for the tradition, family and friends and good music! What more can we ask for?
Thanks CIV and Meri for bringing back the vibes of the original NYC tattoo convention and welcome NYC Tattoo Arts Convention @nyctatcon !! Can’t wait to see you all next year!
