Aside from the horribly misogynistic term ‘tramp stamp’, little has been said about the relationship between women and tattoos.

Bodies of Subversion studies the involvement of women in the ink industry from the nineteenth century until today, not only as customers but also as artists, such as the legendary Maud Wagner or Kat Von D. Covering topics including body art as custom couture in Victorian society, author Margot Mifflin delves into tattoos not only for decoration purposes but also as a helpful healing process for breast cancer or domestic abuse survivors.

Extensive as it is visual, Bodies of Subversion is an insightful look at what happens when the body becomes a canvas.

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Images from Bodies of Subversion: A Secret History of Women and Tattoo by Margot Mifflin, published by powerHouse Books, available to purchase here.

 

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