TATTOO CULTURE




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Sound Check | Turnstile, Lucy Dacus, The Barons and more!

Nothing but crazy bangers this week. These are all pretty big shows but it’s some of the best of the best in their respective genres, all in Richmond this week. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? I am your guy...

Photos | Sierra Ferrell and Nikki Lane Bring Americana to Richmond

Sierra Ferrell took over Brown’s Island earlier this week, transforming Richmond’s riverfront into fantasy. Surrounded by oversized mushrooms, flowers, and a stage dressed like an Appalachian fever dream, Ferrell delivered a set that moved easily from honky-tonk stomp...

Salon de Résistance | A Live Interview Series From RVA Mag

"The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth" - Albert Camus Dispatch NUmber One: Salon de Résistance | presented by RVA Mag, Black Iris, and Le Cachet Dulcet Not long ago, salons were a catalyst for intellectual expression. Spaces where creators,...

RVA 5×5 | Shine On You Crazy (And Memorable) Diamond

On Sunday afternoon, the last baseball game will be held at The Diamond after 40 years of service to a city and region and two baseball teams in what was, when it opened, “a major league park in a minor league town.” Between opening night in 1985 and the last game on...

Confederate Nostalgia, Black Voices: The Paradox of Polk Miller

Over a century ago, engineers from the Edison Company hauled their bulky recording equipment from New Jersey to Richmond, Virginia. In 1909, they captured one of the first interracial recording sessions in American history: Polk Miller, a white Confederate veteran...

The Felon Who Built Scott’s Addition

Before the beer taps and condos, before the buzzwords about ‘revitalization,’ Scott’s Addition’s future passed through the hands of a single man: Justin Glynn French. A convicted felon whose empire collapsed in scandal, he set the stage, even if unintentionally, for...

Richmond Icons Serve Looks in New West Main Mural

Longtime Richmond tattoo artist Charles Berger is known for his intricate and elaborate tattoos. He’s spent most of his years inking over at Heroes and Ghosts and now you can find him over at Lakeside Tattoo. But lately, Berger has taken his work beyond tattooing. He, along with local artist Parker Galore, just finished up a mural Sat. Nov. 28...

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Amy Black’s Powerful Tattoo Work Faces Instagram Censorship

The digital age has made free speech a complicated mess, and having algorithms, human moderators, or user-based reporting systems isn't helping. Such was the case for local tattoo artist Amy Black who has made headlines in the past for her work on tattooing over mastectomy scars. But those powerful images of her work didn't sit well with...

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Richmond Tattoo Artists’ Art Auction Supports Kids in Need

In an effort to raise money for the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, local business employees, tattoo artists and VCU students will gather tonight at the Mott Gallery to auction video game and super hero-themed art. Jillian Ryan and Bob Broomfield of Bits and Pixels, a video game store in Carytown, got the idea for the auction when they...

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Tales of Tattoos at Secretly Y’all’s (Im)Permanence at VMFA

The co-founders of Secretly Y’all are back again with an exciting new event this time with the theme on one of the things that makes Richmond, Richmond: tattoos. On September 4th, Secretly Y'all will present (Im)Permanence at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which currently has a Japanese tattoo exhibit on display until the end of this month....

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Heritage in Ink: Discovering the Depths of Japanese Tattoos at VMFA

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) has managed to blend the locally popular art of tattoo and the historically beautiful craftsmanship of Japanese art with the launch of its new exhibition, “Japanese Tattoo: Perseverance, Art, and Tradition.” The collection centers around seven internationally acclaimed tattoo artists, curated by Kip...

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Richmond is getting its first Japanese tattoo mural

Richmond is getting its first Japanese tattoo-inspired mural-and you get to be apart of the fun starting today. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts launched the RVA Japanese Scavenger Hunt today and from now until May 28, the museum will put a piece of the tattoo around the city and you must use your savvy detective skills to find them. You'll...

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Richmond Tattoo Revolution: Styles and Stories from the Streets

Richmond ranks third among America's most tattooed cities, just behind Las Vegas and Miami. In this vibrant city, you’re never far from a quality tattoo shop. The city boasts a rich selection of talented artists and renowned shops, each offering their unique styles. With such permanent artwork at stake, it’s crucial to thoroughly research and...

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Richmond's Tattoo Revolution: Styles and Stories from the Streets_benjamin-lehman_RVA Magazine 2015