Honored to have been invited to present the opening lecture for the new Flint Institute of Arts exhibition “MI Ink: The Art of Tattoos” (May 17-December 7, 2025)! This groundbreaking show which was co-curated with dozens of tattoo artists celebrates tattoos as an art form by highlighting the significant talent across the wonderful state of Michigan. The state has a rich tattoo history dating back to the early 20th century that includes some of the most innovative machine designers and creative artists. The current demand for tattoos in Michigan is shown by the more than 1,150 licensed body art facilities in the state, where most of them offer tattoos.
After my “Skin & Ink” lecture (click here to watch) I was truly humbled to meet some tattoo legends like Leo Zulueta and Dianne Mansfield at the reception and sign copies of my new book Indigenous Tattoo Traditions for nearly 2-hours selling out the museum shop’s inventory!
Thank you to everyone who made this a truly memorable and remarkable evening in Flint! It’s as indelible as it gets!!
