The department of Alpes-Maritimes is hosting the “Tatoueurs-Tatoués” exhibition until October 31, 2021. A showcase that traces the history and values of tattooing.
The history traces back to Europe in the year 700, with the discovery of Ötzi’s tattooed body, a man outlawed by Christianity. At that time, tattooing was marginalized. In the 19th century, tattoos appeared in bourgeois salons or at the courts of some European royal families. Today, tattooing joins the discipline of art history and is classified as the “10th art”. On July 2, 2021, the opening of the exhibition Tatoueurs, Tatoués took place at the Lympia cultural space in Nice, a creation of the Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac Museum.
The affirmation of tattooing as a full-fledged art form
130 works and twenty silicone tattooed molds are exhibited during the opening. Thirty countries fond of tattooing are mentioned during the presentation of the works. These numbers reveal the rise of the 10th art. Its success is particularly attributed to the “development of the internet and the interest from the media. For ten years, tattooing has also been writing its contemporary history at the pace of technological improvement.” The opening ceremony was marked by the presence of Eric Ciotti, deputy and president of the finance commission of the departmental council 06. “We also wanted this to ignite French passion for the first arts, which undoubtedly constitutes the extension of a burning curiosity that archaeologists, art historians, or anthropologists have felt for centuries for distant peoples.” And Emmanuel Kasarhérou, president of the Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac Museum. “I am convinced that the Nice public, and beyond, will offer the best reception to ‘Tatoueurs, Tatoués’. All the ingredients are gathered for the exhibition to be a success.”
The people of Nice responded positively
More than a hundred visitors attended the opening of the exhibition. An opportunity for them to reconnect with art, which had been deprived of its creativity since the start of the pandemic. “We can finally do an activity. I immediately reserved my spot to come and admire this exceptional work. I am passionate about tattooing, about art in general,” says Olive, a visitor. With a cocktail in hand, Hugo rejoices at the reunion, “I missed this friendly atmosphere. This exhibition allows us to reconnect with our habits. May the movement continue!” Visits are ongoing at the Lympia cultural space from Wednesday to Sunday between 10 am and 6 pm.
