‘Bold Will Hold’ is the tattoo-inspired exhibition on view at Artworks Trenton through November 19.
Curated through the coordinators of the Trenton Punk Rock Flea market, the exhibition features roughly two dozen artists who approach the concept from various angles and media.
As organizers note in their promotional materials, “For thousands of years, tattoos and the artists that create them have utilized their human canvases to tell tales of survival and the hunt, love lost, life at sea, and the weary road traveler, but in recent years the art form, and the massive growth of artists behind it, have become accepted as part of the cultural mainstream. What was once frowned upon as something relegated to sailors, blue-collar workers, and the downtrodden has now become a widely sought-after form of art.”
The Artworks exhibition uses the current interest in tattooing as the attraction and leaves the viewer to draw the lines that connect what appears to be original designs to photographs to works of art based on tattoo images or inspired by them.
The larger and bolder in color works obviously grab the eye. That includes two intricate paintings of swirling designs by Addison Vincent (who also serves as Artworks artistic director), a set of Timothy David photographs that mainly celebrate the outsider allure of tattoo culture, two intensely patterned images by Robbinsville artist Alia Benslimane, two glowingly colorful works — with one seemingly evocative of early 20th century designs — by Toms River tattoo artist Ted Wallen, and the very appropriate heart image by Trenton/Hamilton tattoo artist Carley Granger (who will be tattooing live during the November 4 opening from 6 to 9 p.m.
Tattoo aficionados, for whom the exhibition seems to be more aimed, and those willing to linger also will find rewards in the smaller and initially less eye filling works. Among them are Jess Fields’ “Modern Day Madonna,” a watercolor portrait of a young woman sporting tattoos; and Alex Flannery’s “Capital City Flash,” wit-laced screen print survey of Trenton icons, including a wandering pork roll tube.
Bold Will Hold, Artworks Trenton, 18 Everett Alley, Trenton. Opens Friday, November 4, 6 to 9 p.m., and remains on view through November 19, Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free. 609-394-9436 or www.artworkstrenton.org.
