A new exhibition in the centre of Amsterdam explores the crossover of two previously controversial topics: cannabis and tattoos.
The Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum, whose Amsterdam and Barcelona venues have welcomed over two million visitors since its founding in 1987, exhibits Stay Stoned: Madness, Cannabis & Tattoos from June 18th, 2022 to February 26th, 2023.
The opening of the exhibition was also the book launch of Stay Stoned Vol. II., a new collection of cannabis tattoo art compiled by tattoo experts Gilberto Cannarozzi and Samuele ‘Sem Boy’ Salvadori.
The Marihuana Marlboro Man
Tattooing and cannabis use have both been part of human cultures for thousands of years, whether for ceremonial or recreational purposes, but it wasn’t until the early 1970s that tattoos displaying one’s love for cannabis started to appear.
Smiling weed leaves, stoned cartoon characters, the Zig-Zag Man (marihuana’s enigmatic answer to the Marlboro Man), and pin-up girls on cannabis flowers, joints and bongs have been popular subjects for permanent decoration since these revolutionary years.
From the underground to the mainstream
As both cannabis and tattoos move closer to mainstream acceptance in many parts of the world, the stigma around them is falling away. The requirement to hide both cannabis use and skin art in order to secure a promotion or make the ‘right impression’ is no longer as pressing. According to museum founder Ben Dronkers, cannabis tattoos can be ‘…a declaration of love, a rebellious statement, a token of freedom, an activist act, or maybe even a hazy decision, it is quite something to get a permanent and visible marker of love for the plant’.
From flash to paintings
There is no shortage of tattoo designs, from elaborate custom pieces needing multiple sessions to the off-the-peg images known as ‘flash’ that decorate the walls of most tattoo studios. Stay Stoned: Madness, Cannabis & Tattoos features no less than fifty newly-made paintings, drawings and flash depicting new twists on classic tattoo themes. These works are part of the new volume of Stay Stoned. The books feature contemporary designs and working artists, demonstrating that the genre of cannabis tattoos is still vibrant today.
From tattoo museum to cannabis museum
Featured artists include Danny Boy, Jondix, Bill Loika, Robert Ryan, Tomas Redrey and Henk & Morris Schiffmacher. In a curious turn of fate, the exhibition itself is shown in the building which was formerly Henk Schiffmacher’s Amsterdam Tattoo Museum!
Lending historical context to these modern designs is a selection of art from the vast collection of the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum. With over 9,000 items related to ‘the Devil’s Lettuce’ to choose from, the museum is capable of finding something to complement every type of exhibition; in this case, it’s the brightly-coloured, psychedelic poster art of the 1970s that served as inspiration for many of the original cannabis tattoos.
Fans of tattoos and cannabis, but also contemporary design history and modern subcultures, will all find something to enjoy here.
Stay Stoned: Madness, Cannabis & Tattoos runs from June 18th, 2022 to February 23rd, 2023. Entrance is included with a standard museum ticket.
The Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum manages and exhibits a unique collection, on display in two locations: a canal house in central Amsterdam and a
Modernista palace in Barcelona. The museum’s collection is composed of over 9,000 rare artefacts related to all aspects of cannabis history and culture.
Sensi Seeds has been operating for more than 35 years and is the benchmark in terms of cannabis genetics, including medicinal cannabis genetics.
HempFlax is established in The Netherlands, Romania, and Germany. This company continues to pave the way in developing the industrial hemp market. It is Europe’s largest independent CBD producer. Other products range from construction materials to bio-plastics and high-quality food products.
