The praying hands, the rabbit, the self-portrait – Albrecht Dürer’s works of art get under some people’s skin. Starting this Friday, the exhibition “Dürer under your skin: Tattoo art” in the Albrecht Dürer House in Nuremberg will show 350 tattoos that were modeled on the Renaissance master.
Last fall, people from many countries responded to the museum’s call to send in photographs of their Dürer tattoos, said museum director Christine Demele. “We were overwhelmed by the response.”
A selection of these can be seen in the exhibition, accompanied by some Dürer prints that served as models. There wasn’t room for everyone in the museum, explained Demele. That’s why every picture has a QR code that takes you to a homepage with a catalog of Dürer’s works. In the exhibition, the tattooed people and the tattoo creators also have their say and report what connects them with Dürer and how the tattoo came about.
“I find it fascinating how Dürer’s work manages to remain so relevant over time and inspire people so much that they want to wear it on their skin for the rest of their lives,” said Demele. The exhibition also wants to focus on tattoo art itself. Although this is an ancient art form, it has long been neglected in museums and art history.