Breakthrough Californian tattoo artists Regino Gonzales and Henry Lewis feature in a New Year show which reveals body work also has a life on the wall.
"Burning Both Ends" at the Corey Helford Gallery, Pasadena, includes collaborations and solo works in this tattoo-meets-fine-art style (a more literal form of Pointillism, no?).
Gonzales' work (exampled left) exposes his graphic art background in forms of symbolism and imagery more usually seen on rippling backs and biceps.
Lewis hones his art on human canvas at iconic San Francisco body shop, Everlasting Tattoo. Transferred from skin to oil painting, his dark motifs brood like 17th-century Baroque paintings. According to the gallery: "Lewis paints the world as he sees it, drawing upon experiences and emotions of the past year that evoke timeless themes of inner turmoil, uncertainty, mortality, vulnerability, and hope. His portraits are a blend of historic artifacts, modern day images, icons of beauty, and supernatural creatures".
"Burning Both Ends" runs January 5 - 23.
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