Why do people get tattoos? And how does their motivation affect the location, type and style of tattoo they choose?

This event explores the motivations and meanings behind tattoos - both for the tattooed individual and for society. Join us to investigate tattoo history, culture and psychology.

British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted event.

Speakers:
Dr Sharon Cahill, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of East London
Gemma Angel, PhD student, UCL, researching the Wellcome tattoo collection in the Science Museum
Sean 'Woody' Wood, tattooist and laser remover, Woody's Tattoo Studio

This event is free.

Book now to receive an e-ticket

The winner of our tattoo competition will be announced on the same evening as this event and the winning design will be tattooed live, outside our Skin exhibition. There is no need to book to see the live tattooing or the exhibition, please just come along between 18.00-22.00.

Further information about our speakers:

Sharon Cahill studied undergraduate psychology at the University of Teesside and her PhD was completed in 2002 (Glasgow Caledonian University) entitled 'Women's Experience(s) of Anger: Social and personal perceptions' using Q-methodology and a thematic discourse analysis. Her research interests stem from feminism, issues of power and giving voice to those not tradtionally heard in Psychology.

Gemma Angel, studied Fine Art with History of Art at the University of Leeds whilst training as a tattooist, before going on to complete a Masters in Visual Anthropology at the University of Manchester. She is a current AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award holder with UCL History of Art Department and the Science Museum London. Her doctoral thesis is concerned with a collection of 300 dry-prepared tattooed skins owned by the Wellcome Collection and originating in late 19th-century France.

Woody has been tattooing professionally for 20 years and has established a business in tattooing, body piercing and laser tattoo removal which is world renowned. He has written various articles for 'Skin Deep' magazine, and a long article about tattoo removal which was published in the second edition of the 'Tattoo Masters' magazine. Some of this article was also used in the publication 'Tattoo Bible'.