Perseverance - Japanese Tattoo Tradition in the Modern World

[smiling.politely]

Just ordered the catalog, the Horitomo tenugui, and the sticker set... If there's any way to get out there by the time this is over, I definitely will.

Also, thanks to everyone for posting photos and anecdotes. Also, glad to see that Beau Brady is having a grand old time with @Stewart Robson while he's stateside.

[JoshRoss]

I'm so glad I got to check this out. I was totally inspired by Chris Brand and Jill Bonny's lectures.

Don't miss out if you're in the LA area or need an excuse to head down there!

[Stewart Robson]

Ha, that's one reason I know I'd be out of place in a convention unless I had someone leading me. It would be nice to avoid that "Oh, you're Shige."

Thats why we have banners displayed at the backs of our booths and business cards at the front.

[MoistTowelette]

that was an amazing experience! to see tattoos and actual live tattooing represented at a museum was incredible, along with watching so many body suits displayed at one time.

my favorite part was getting the epic catalog signed by the artists, and shige doing a full page autograph! i might be wrong, but i believe my buddies and i were the only ones to get the full pager!! i wish i was able to get a vid but my phone died...

[irezumi]

I thought Junii had (to me)the most inspiring lecture. She may have struggled through some English but every story or idea she was talking about rang true regardless of gender. She well deserved the ovation if anyone were to get one. Chasing dreams is part of what makes us interesting people and keeps out spirits alive. I can relate to the same experience of chasing a dream to be doing what I love to do and how the realization of the dream has made me a happier person in general.

Chris's was really interesting and well put together. Both of those were my favorites. I have always been a huge fan of Chaz esp what he's been doing the last few years style-wise but it (again in my opinion) wasn't a lecture that truly fit in with the rest of what the exhibit was about.

^@moisttowelette that's a super awesome page you got there. I would've liked to get the catalogs I picked up signed (sorry Ross) but I had been sitting in one seat for 4 straight hours with only a roti and coffee for substance for the whole day. I was ready to eat my hand by the time 5 o'clock rolled around. Skipping the signing turned out to be a blessing; while everyone else was inside lining up for the signing I had the chance to have a lengthy conversation with one of the people that inspired me to chase MY dreams. This guy did more for American tattooing than anyone else arguably more so than Jerry even if he wouldn't accept that honor. He continues to inspire me every single day.

Thanks Ed, for everything you've done for us.

What I didn't know before is that he gets a fair amount of his prints done in a town reallllly close to my house, right down from a mountain where I take daily morning hikes. He said he'd be glad to stop down to our shop next time he's in town.

edit: after reading it just now I had to include a quote from a link I found in a different thread "Without Hardy, I wouldn’t be who I am today,” Horiyoshi III told The Japan Times in a recent interview."

[irezumi]

hold on, more coming

#prematurepost

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^really thought I got this guy's back but I guess I missed it. It's in the panorama though.

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somebody post something; a word, anything, just so I can post the other pictures.

[DJDeepFried]

Keep em comin

[irezumi]

^Thanks, had these left to share.

Must've been holding my phone off kilter, sorry. These photos pale in comparison to what they look like in real life. The photographer, Kip Fulbeck, used a $60,ooo camera, so when you get your catalogs you'll see the true colors.

[suburbanxcore]

Wherever you're hosting those is blocked at my work. Man, I can't wait to see these pics and order the catalog. Thanks for posting, @irezumi.

[irezumi]

The woodblock is by Chris Brand, and during his lecture he talked at length of his ongoing project of interpreting the 108 heroes in a context of combining the Japanese and Chicano approaches to similar concepts in story/folklore. His lecture also comprised of an interesting slide show that went into how the early drawing and paintings of the stories of the Water Margin/108 Heroes were later re-imaginged by Yoshitoshi and Kuniyoshi , how they included detailed figures with tattoos and how some of those were interpreted into bodysuits. So he would have a slide of 3 or 4 pictures side to side of the original print, and then in chronological order backpieces by various tattooers of the same image. I was already quite familiar with the Kuniyoshi & Yoshitoshi prints, but the following sequences of the tattoos was really interesting and informative.

He then showed 7 or so backpieces of the aforementioned project of the Japanese/Chicano crossover. He explained his approach by showing side by side slides the similar icons and figures in folklore and meaning, using one example of his comparison of Kannon and Mary of Quadalupe. Really fascinating lecture, make sure to watch it when JANM puts them up for people to watch.

[Graeme]

I curse spending all my damned money on tattoos so that I can't spend it on travelling to see exhibitions on tattoos.

[irezumi]

It's a tough call @Graeme

[beez]

^Thanks' date=' had these left to share. Must've been holding my phone off kilter, sorry. These photos pale in comparison to what they look like in real life. The photographer, Kip Fulbeck, used a $60,ooo camera, so when you get your catalogs you'll see the true colors.[/quote']

#24 of 26: this backpiece (the karajishi), a Bill and Junii collab, is actually a cover up of another large back piece. Wizards and turrets and some other stuff like it, according to Bill. I was admiring it in the shop when he told me that - hard to believe and really well done. Never would have pegged it as a cover of up of another backpiece. Still don't now when I know it for a fact!

@irezumi thank you so much for your report and all the pics, it is MUCH appreciated!

[irezumi]

That's a pretty impressive cover-up; I wouldn't have guessed that

[ian]

it was an AMAZING exhibit! Taki's events never disappoint and I'm SO glad I went down there!

[beez]

That's a pretty impressive cover-up; I wouldn't have guessed that

Right?? Bill said they went over the eyes with several layers of white. I was floored :p

[hogg]

#24 of 26: this backpiece (the karajishi), a Bill and Junii collab, is actually a cover up of another large back piece. Wizards and turrets and some other stuff like it, according to Bill. I was admiring it in the shop when he told me that - hard to believe and really well done. Never would have pegged it as a cover of up of another backpiece. Still don't now when I know it for a fact!

@irezumi thank you so much for your report and all the pics, it is MUCH appreciated!

I've admired that backpiece for years and also had no idea it was a coverup. Amazing!

[Lance]

#24 of 26: this backpiece (the karajishi), a Bill and Junii collab, is actually a cover up of another large back piece. Wizards and turrets and some other stuff like it, according to Bill. I was admiring it in the shop when he told me that - hard to believe and really well done. Never would have pegged it as a cover of up of another backpiece. Still don't now when I know it for a fact!

@irezumi thank you so much for your report and all the pics, it is MUCH appreciated!

I don't believe you @beez ;-) a cover up?! Wow!

it was an AMAZING exhibit! Taki's events never disappoint and I'm SO glad I went down there!

I knew I saw you on Friday! But you were talking to people so I grabbed a beer. When I looked around I didn't see you again. Shame.

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@Lance I thought we'd already spoke at SFO last year? not a formal introduction but I think we exchanged words. Just say Hi - it's easier than walking through a crowd in a fundoshi.

All I'm prepared to say right now it that I found the exhibition, lectures and whole experience incredibly positive and personally overwhelming.

@Stewart Robson, very true, I didn't think you'd remember. It's a bad habit of mine. On a related note regarding Miyazo, during the book signing, even he remembered me and asked if I was at the SFO convention wandering around around the floors. Next time I will definitely say hello. I guess I'm a more memorable/recognizable guy now with long hair and tattoos. Ha ha! ;-)

Thank you for participating in the show. It is obviously quite impressive.

[hw1776]

awesome to read the reports and see the pictures. sad to have missed the opening day events, but I still plan on seeing this soon.

thanks to everyone who shared their words/photos!

[beez]

@irezumi @Lance @hogg there is a tower/turret in the tail....I can't see it, but I know it's there :p straight from Bill Salmon's mouth!

[Lance]

I thought Junii had (to me)the most inspiring lecture. She may have struggled through some English but every story or idea she was talking about rang true regardless of gender. She well deserved the ovation if anyone were to get one. Chasing dreams is part of what makes us interesting people and keeps out spirits alive. I can relate to the same experience of chasing a dream to be doing what I love to do and how the realization of the dream has made me a happier person in general.

Chris's was really interesting and well put together. Both of those were my favorites. I have always been a huge fan of Chaz esp what he's been doing the last few years style-wise but it (again in my opinion) wasn't a lecture that truly fit in with the rest of what the exhibit was about...

...The woodblock is by Chris Brand, and during his lecture he talked at length of his ongoing project of interpreting the 108 heroes in a context of combining the Japanese and Chicano approaches to similar concepts in story/folklore. His lecture also comprised of an interesting slide show that went into how the early drawing and paintings of the stories of the Water Margin/108 Heroes were later re-imaginged by Yoshitoshi and Kuniyoshi , how they included detailed figures with tattoos and how some of those were interpreted into bodysuits. So he would have a slide of 3 or 4 pictures side to side of the original print, and then in chronological order backpieces by various tattooers of the same image. I was already quite familiar with the Kuniyoshi & Yoshitoshi prints, but the following sequences of the tattoos was really interesting and informative.

He then showed 7 or so backpieces of the aforementioned project of the Japanese/Chicano crossover. He explained his approach by showing side by side slides the similar icons and figures in folklore and meaning, using one example of his comparison of Kannon and Mary of Quadalupe. Really fascinating lecture, make sure to watch it when JANM puts them up for people to watch.

Thanks for the lecture write up @irezumi! Chris Brand's lecture, woah! Your words ring absolutely true and I don't need to repeat you. I can't wait to re-watch that when they post the video.

You are also indeed correct with regards to Junii. She was very nervous and as you said at times struggled, but the emotion that came through was definitely felt by the audience. She absolutely deserved the standing ovation she received. I have much respect for this stand out Lady.

Speaking of another nervous speaker, I spoke with Jill after her lecture. We had a good laugh that she was so incredibly nervous, she absolutely could not bring herself to look up from her notes when speaking. At all! She had single minded focus looking down at her 8 1/2" x11" sheets. "There was a crowd in the lecture hall, what?" Ha ha. But her lecture was a good one as well. And an interesting one that worked well as a follow up to Chris Brand's 108 heroes of Los Angeles. Hers was about a Client who's bodysuit looked traditionally Japanese, but upon closer inspection actually held historical Mexican stories and legends. His back piece was a translation of the Mexican flag telling the story of the founding of what would be Mexico City, but rather than depicting an eagle it held a falcon which is a common motif in Japanese tattooing where an eagle was not. Then she translated two Aztec gods as dragons for each sleeve. Quetzalcoatl, a winged serpent, was depicted as a winged dragon and the other was depicted as a floppy eared dog-like dragon (can't remember the god's name) but she used these not to dis-similarly to the pairing of Fujin and Raijin. The whole of it balanced out not too unlike the idea in some Asian cultures for the 4 directions.

What's best of all is all of the lecture subjects are also in the catalogue and soon to be online for everyone, I believe.

Oh, and the 50 bodysuits on stage were amazing. No picture I've seen online do them the justice deserved. When will you ever see that again I mean? Jill had initially asked me to participate in it but modesty got the best if me and I declined. In hindsight had I asked about the format I could have totally rocked a fundoshi. Strength in numbers ;-)

On a last note, one of the best experiences I had at this show was engaging in a conversation with a gentleman who was looking at 3 of Shige's clients back pieces. He had no tattoos and was dumbfounded by Shige's work. He asked me how such a thing could be done. He was so amazed by the quality that when I mentioned Shige works by machine and not by traditional hand tools, he thought Shige input the design into a computer and a machine tattooed the image onto the Client. With all these threads on here about negative experiences from people without tattoos, this is a fantastic show for people with no tattoos to experience and learn about a culture and educate themselves and a great way for people with tattoos to engage them in a friendly dialogue.

[Hospitelli]

This looks like it was an amazing exhibit and one I'll probably never be able to make it too so thanks once again to all those that posted descriptions and pictures. It is very much appreciated!

[9Years]

To re-iterate what you already know: this is great. Go if you have the chance. The wife and I loved it all...the exhibit, the discussions, the people willing to show their stellar tattoos to total strangers, the catalogue etc etc etc x 1000000.

It was...moving.

[hogg]

Thanks to the kindness and generosity of the one @irezumi, I came home yesterday to quite a pleasant surprise in my mailbox:

I immediately found a dowel in the basement, cut it to size, and quickly stitched it into the top of the tenugui:

I love it so much.

But the real treat--the one thing that makes me feel better about missing the opening--is the catalog. I strongly urge everyone to pick up a copy. It's filled with incredible photos and--huge bonus--what I assume are the lectures that Jill, Junii, and Chris Brand gave at the seminar. I'm still getting over a cough, so I was up reading it on the couch at 3am.

Thanks again, @irezumi!

[irezumi]

You're welcome homie! And yeah the text closely follows the lectures

Gonna bite your steez on the dowel