Skin Deep – Looking Beyond the Tattoos

Skin Deep, Looking beyond the tattoos is a portrait series that seeks to understand the impacts tattoos have on former gang members and people trying to escape the gang life. How we as a society judge ex-gang members with tattoos and ultimately how they judge themselves.

Portraits are taken of the participants. Their tattoos are then digitally removed creating before and after images. The subjects are then interviewed on video while being presented the portraits.

I hope this project helps put a very human face on a group of people that are so often demonized by society. By giving them a forum to talk about themselves, families, aspirations for the future and what tattoos mean to them, while the public is educated about the obstacles these individuals must overcome to re-enter society. To purchase the book please go to Skin Deep, Looking beyond the tattoos on Amazon, published by Powerhouse books.

Gowanus, Brooklyn at 454 Carroll Street from May 19th-22nd (Thursday opening 6 pm-10 pm, regular hours 10 am-6 pm)

The exhibition showcases 36 large-scale “before and after” portraits alongside written narratives and a projection of a short documentary film.