Welcome to the 235th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode, we illustrate the story behind New York's illicit tattoo scene, shedding light on an era of underground inkheads and criminal artists.
The year was 1961, and a relatively minor Hepatitis outbreak was pulsing through the veins of New York City. Calling for regulation from the Department of Health, a ban was pushed forth, halting the practice of tattooing in its tracks. Forcing shop owners to either close doors or work in the shadows, a new generation of illegal artists was born, lasting over 30 years in the city's side streets and back alleys.
It is said that the restrictions were merely a precautionary measure as virus-induced fear rose among the general populous, but in hindsight, this claim was nonsense. Without substantial evidence, officials plagued tattoo shops as the culprit behind this minuscule epidemic, claiming that the boutique's sanitary practices were sub-par. Sparking outrage and rebellion, many suspected the move was more likely to have been an effort to suppress tattoo culture, as it was seen as a "callback to 'barbaric," self-distinguishing practices."
In addition to these theories, rumours began circulating that a high-ranking official's wife had an affair with a tattoo artist, leading to the ban as an act of revenge or moral outrage. Either way, the scene had vanished from the view of the public eye, pushing many to seek out alternative means to get tatted.
Spawning the likes of Thom DeVita and John Wyatt, who notoriously operated in apartments, underground or in the dead of night, for the most part, artists and clients ignored the ban altogether. The risk was minimal behind closed doors, and clients were aware of their illicit activities, but nobody was ever arrested for administrating a tattoo. In 1997, 37 years after the ban had been ruled, Rudy Guliani would decriminalize tattooing, allowing artists to practice freely once again.
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