"A tattoo is something somebody wants. It evades all that intellectualization. It evades rational thought. And that's what I'm after with art of any kind." What a great way for Ed Hardy to explain his craft, his attitude, his style. As the date for the opening of the major retrospective, Ed Hardy: Deeper than Skin, approaches (with a free public opening on July 11, 2019), the de Young museum just released the companion book for the exhibition, featuring 256 pages that expand on the show and give intimate details on the career of the legendary tattoo artist.
Edited by Karin Breuer, the show's curator whom we recently interviewed, the book features essays, interviews, and the bountiful influence of Hardy throughout a copious career. Not only does it radiate the scope of his life, but demonstrates just how renegade and rebellious tattoo art was when Hardy began his craft in the middle of the 20th Century. For anyone who can't make the show, this is a much-needed collector's item.
Experience Ed Hardy: Deeper than Skin at the de Young museum, July 13–October 6. Got ink? Your tattoo gets you discounted tickets, for a limited time only. Learn more at deyoungmuseum.org.
