Exhibition of tattoo artists and tattoo fans

The Lympia barracks, a former prison and the oldest building at the Port of Nice, will reopen on 26 June 2021, in accordance with the rules on capacity and the health-protection measures. Its 250m² gallery is hosting the “Tatoueurs, Tatoués” exhibition, which goes back to the origins of tattooing and presents the resurgence of this now global phenomenon. Collaborating with the Lympia cultural centre in Nice, the event is an adaptation of the exhibition “Tatoueurs, Tatoués” held from 6 May 2014 to 18 October 2015 at the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, with the support of the Alpes-Maritimes Department.

The history of tattooing

Quite the reverse of the social, religious and ritual role they played in Oriental, African and Pacific societies, in the West, tattoos have long been a sign of infamy, criminality, marginality, a circus attraction, and then an identity marker for urban gangs. Today, with their omnipresence in advertising and fashion, tattoos are no longer something clandestine, but have become a widespread body ornament, and a means of asserting one’s identity. The exhibition explores the ethnological, anthropological and sociological values, alongside the artistic dimension, of tattooing through a selection of items documenting the phenomenon and works by contemporary artists, in particular painted tattoo designs and tattooed silicone forms.

Cultural programme

Free guided tours, family activities, conferences, creative visits and tattoo demonstrations subject to booking, with the guest presence of numerous specialists in tattooing.

Practical information

Free entry
From 26 June to 31 October 2021

Galerie Lympia
52 boulevard Stalingrad, 06300 Nice