Tattooed and Tenacious: Inked Women in California’s History

Description

Reach new audiences with this timely exhibit exploring the history of inked women and how they’ve shaped tattoo culture in the Golden State.

Almost a quarter of American women now have tattoos, while over a third of Americans between the ages of 18 and 40 wear permanent skin art.

From the upper-class women who started the tattoo craze to the working-class Tattooed Ladies who performed in circus sideshows, this exhibit puts the foremothers of modern tattooing in the spotlight. Through photographs and personal histories, this exhibit uncovers the fascinating and largely unknown story of women and tattoos before WWII. A show-stopping mannequin, hand-drawn by current Bay Area female tattoo artists and specially commissioned for this show, highlights how far women and tattooing have come.

This exhibit is also available as an online exhibit! Book the online exhibit as a stand-alone experience, or pair it with the physical exhibit when you host. Visit our online exhibits page to learn more.

Tattooed and Tenacious: Inked Women in California’s History is a traveling exhibition from Exhibit Envoy in partnership with the Hayward Area Historical Society and History San Jose.