What's Your New York City Tattoo/

Dave Herman founder of the City Reliquary Museum in Brooklyn joins tattoo artist Michelle Myles on the WNYC show, All of It with Alison Stewart to discuss the exhibit, Liberty the Tattooed Lady currently on display at the museum

Alison Stewart: “A 2023 study from the Pew Research Center found that about one-third of Americans have a tattoo, and 22% of adults have more than one. For over 100 years New York has been the epicenter of modern tattooing, with the most important innovations taking shape right on the Bowery in lower Manhattan. A new exhibit at the city reliquary focuses on the history of tattoos here in New York and specifically tattoos of the Statue of Liberty. New Yorkers have loved getting Lady Liberty tattooed and the exhibit contains vintage photos and designs of old statues of liberty tattoos, as well as images of modern Lady Liberty designs. The exhibit is titled, Liberty the Tattooed lady, the great Bartholdi statue as depicted in tattooing. It's up now at the City Reliquary Museum and Civic Organization in Williamsburg until mid January 2025.

Alison is joined by the founder and curator of the museum, Dave Herman along with his co-curator, tattoo artist Michelle Miles of Daredevil NYC tattoo shop and museum…

Liberty the Tattooed Lady: The Great Bartholdi Statue as Depicted in Tattooing

Flyer for Liberty the Tattooed Lady, the current exhibit at the City Reliquary Museum in Brooklyn which features traditional tattoos and traditional flash with photos, stencils and drawings of Lady Liberty tattoos. Michelle Myles of the NYC tattoo shop Daredevil located on the Lower East Side of New York City collaborated on this show.

On View: March 15, 2024-January 12, 2025

The City Reliquary Museum and Daredevil Tattoo are proud to announce Liberty the Tattooed Lady: The Great Bartholdi Statue as Depicted in Tattooing, curated by Michelle Myles. This new exhibition is the first devoted entirely to the history of Statue of Liberty tattoos. Through a stunning collection of vintage tattoo art–including pieces never put on public display before–it shows how the Statue of Liberty has been embraced and embodied by American tattoo artists since the turn of the century.

Since its unveiling in 1886, the Statue of Liberty has served as a symbol of New York City and the nation. Received as a gift from France to commemorate the Declaration of Independence and the abolition of slavery, Lady Liberty has long represented ideals often associated with the idea of America: freedom and liberty. Antique flash, vintage photographs, drawings, and other related objects on display in this exhibit show that Lady Liberty has been a popular subject in tattooing for as long as she’s stood in New York Harbor. 

Guests will have the opportunity to view a stunning collection of vintage tattoo art, including pieces that have never been on public display before. The history of Lady Liberty in tattoo art is told through a stunning collection of antique flash, vintage photographs, drawings, stencils, paintings and other related objects. 

This exhibition brings together artifacts from some of the most legendary tattooers of the early twentieth century, including–but not limited to–Charlie Wagner, Bert Grimm, Owen Jensen, Dainty Dotty, Lou Normand, and Ralph Johnson. 

The Bowery as the Birthplace of Modern Tattooing

This Thursday November 16th Michelle Myles will be presenting a Bowery Tattoo History talk at Grace Church School, 46 Cooper Square. The talk is free but RSVP is required via email at Events4Bowery@gmail.com The talk is hosted by the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors.

Michelle will be discussing the tattoo history of the Bowery and it’s influence on modern tattooing.

Tattoo Artifacts Wanted!

We are always looking to expand our collection of tattoo artifacts. The Daredevil Tattoo Museum of Tattoo History is looking for tattoo flash, tattoo machines, and tattoo ephemera. We are especially focused on collecting anything to do with New York City tattoo history or the Bowery. We also love to hear stories about tattooing’s past. Was your relative a tattooer? Did you or one of your family members get tattooed before tattooing was legalized in NYC before 1997? We’d love to see pictures.

The museum is a registered 501c(3) non profit. Donations are appreciated and may qualify as charitable deductions for federal income tax purposes. Email us with any info DaredevilTattoo@gmail.com or call the shop 212-533-8303

From Mummies to mariners

This Wednesday July 22nd from 4-5pm, Michelle Myles will be presenting an online talk with the South Street Seaport Museum about the history of tattooing through the ages. Tickets are free but spots need to be reserved ahead of time. We’ll be discussing the evolution of tattooing from prehistoric mummies to the voyage of Captain Cook and American tattooing in the early 20th century. The Seaport Museum will showcase some digital artifacts from the Museum’s Alan Govenar and Kaleta Doolin Tattoo Collection.