Living Tattoo Traditions: American Irezumi and Beyond

In Japanese, irezumi means 'inserting ink' and is a common word for tattooing. American Irezumi is the name given to what tattoo artist and State of Grace owner Takahiro (Taki) Kitamura spent the better half of his life pursuing. The Japanese tattoo has been instrumental in Kitamura’s journey toward understanding his hybrid identity, and he is not alone. Like the artists and wearers featured in the exhibition, Kitamura continues to learn and express lessons about culture, art, perseverance, humanity and life through tattooing. They take this journey together, and many are on a similar path of understanding and growth. American Irezumi is the intersection of Kitamura's inherited culture with his quest to master the art of traditional Japanese tattoo. The manifestation of this diasporic experience through the practice of tattooing is part of a larger story evolving in America: the story of how we grow comfortable in our skin, our tattooed skin.

Living Tattoo Traditions: American Irezumi and Beyond exemplifies the concept of American Irezumi, capturing hundreds of hours of commitment over a 25-year span and showcasing the community built over that time. Through photographs and interviews with 25 artists in the Bay Area and beyond, a hand-painted mural and original artworks, the exhibition explores the unique way in which the art of the tattoo tells stories of identity, place and cross-cultural embodiment and experience.

For the first time in its history, SFPL has partnered with Hardy Marks Publications on a full-color exhibition catalog to accompany Living Tattoo Traditions. Featuring a first-person narrative by each of the 24 featured tattoo artists and accompanying photos, the catalog is an exceptional addition to the exhibition itself and is a must-see for any tattoo aficionado. 

Participating Artists
Aurora Aguirre, Fatima  Fatima Maan Al-Eshaiker, Colin Kenji Baker, Makoto Chi, Seem Dayoub, Javier Deluna, Natasha Deluna, Q, Mike Fatutoa, Savannah Fatutoa, Sienna Fatutoa, Alipate Fetuli, Allek Gaoay , John Henry Gloyne, Horifuji, Horitomo, Jesse Jaramillo, Molly Kitamura, Takahiro (Taki) Kitamura, Antonio Mejia, Jeff Quintano, Sef Samatua, Jimmy Shy, Leo Zulueta.

Living Tattoo Traditions: American Irezumi and Beyond was made possible through funding by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library and the contributions of the artists and wearers featured in the gallery. The exhibition was co-curated by Takahiro, Molly Kitamura and Allison Wyckoff in collaboration with the Library’s Exhibition Team: Megan Merritt, Christine Darnell and Ben Vilmain.