Beneath The Skin

Latest Episodes:

The Frog That Jumped Off The Lilly Pad Jun 07, 2023

Show notes

On this episode of Beneath the Skin Matt talks about how a simple Hokusai design of a frog travelled all around the world and became one of the first influential flash designs, transcending tattooing and coming to adorn everything from fine china to textiles. New Merch available here BONUS EPISODES + SUPPORT THE SHOW If you want to follow us online for more updates CLICK HERE Production by Thomas O'Mahony Artwork by Joe Painter (jcp_art) Intro Music by Dan McKenna If you would like to get in touch you can email the show on beneaththeskinpod@gmail.com

*UNLOCKED* Mummies and More May 31, 2023

Show notes

On this episode of Beneath the Skin we spoke to Egyptologist Dr. Anne Austin about her work discovering tattooed bodies in the Egypt and debunking what we previously thought about tattooing in the region.

New Merch available here

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Production by Thomas O'Mahony

Artwork by Joe Painter (jcp_art)

Intro Music by Dan McKenna

If you would like to get in touch you can email the show on beneaththeskinpod@gmail.com

Russian Criminal Tattoos May 24, 2023

Show notes

On this episode of Beneath the Skin we speak to Damon Murray and Mark Vincent about the Russian Criminal Tattoo encyclopaedias and their new book The Russian Criminal Tattoo Archive

New Merch available here

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Production by Thomas O'Mahony

Artwork by Joe Painter (jcp_art)

Intro Music by Dan McKenna

If you would like to get in touch you can email the show on beneaththeskinpod@gmail.com

”There’s More To Tattooing Than Just Tattooing” by Adam McDade May 19, 2023

Show notes

This is a recording of Adam's presentation from the recent Inked Up Marked Out Conference on the interdisciplinary study of tattooing.

Adam is a tattooist currently working in Manchester at Flesh Tattoo, and independent researcher. He completed his practice-based PhD in design in 2021 at The University of Sunderland in partnership with Triplesix Studios, where he began his tattoo apprenticeship in May 2017. This was the world's first to utilise tattoo practice as a research methodology and was described by external examiners (including Matt!) as "the most in-depth, detailed and considered first-person account of tattoo practice in the academic literature".

In this talk Adam draws upon six autoethnographic written accounts of encounters he had as a tattooist between 2018 and 2020, themed around his understanding of the tattooists occupational role. In addition to arguing the role of the practitioner being the provision of tattooing as a creative medium, he argues that the non-material facet of the tattooists role is the provision of service, and offer a framework for how that may be understood and the discipline specific nuances that are entailed. Through this, he sought to demonstrate that there is more to tattooing than just 'tattooing', so that future academic inquiry can be framed and conducted in a more empathetic and meaningful way.

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Production by Thomas O'Mahony

Artwork by Joe Painter (jcp_art)

Intro Music by Dan McKenna

If you would like to get in touch you can email the show on beneaththeskinpod@gmail.com

Rudi Can’t Fail Pt. 1 feat. Paul King May 17, 2023

Show notes

On this episode of Beneath the Skin we spoke to Master Piercer, Researcher, and Historian Paul King about the life piercing and tattoo collector, enthusiast, and so much more, Rudi Inhelder.

During his life Rudi was a living document of the growth of tattooing over the 20th century and is the nexus through which so much mid century and later tattoo history flowed.

This is Part 1 of a 2 part series on the life of Rudi Inhelder so please stay tuned to hear the rest.

New Merch available here

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Production by Thomas O'Mahony

Artwork by Joe Painter (jcp_art)

Intro Music by Dan McKenna

If you would like to get in touch you can email the show on beneaththeskinpod@gmail.com

Born Freaky: A History of Sideshows with Kim Kelly May 10, 2023

Show notes

On this episode of Beneath the Skin we spoke to author, journalist, and ocaasional sideshow performer Kim Kelly about the history of Sideshow performers, the labour relations of the sideshow industry, and her personal experience as a so called "freak"

Buy Kim's book 'Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labour'

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New Merch available here

If you want to follow us online for more updates CLICK HERE

Production by Thomas O'Mahony

Artwork by Joe Painter (jcp_art)

Intro Music by Dan McKenna

If you would like to get in touch you can email the show on beneaththeskinpod@gmail.com

*PREVIEW* A Conversation with Mr. Don Ed Hardy May 03, 2023

Show notes

Hear the rest of this episode exclusively on Patreon

New Merch available here

On this episode of Beneath the Skin we are delighted to share a conversation Matt had with the one and only, the legendary tattooist, Mr. Don Ed Hardy.

The audio on this one isn't the best due to the technical limits at the time, but the conversation is a delight so we've included a transcript of the hour long interview below for anyone who is keen to dig into it more.

If you want to follow us online for more updates CLICK HERE

Production by Thomas O'Mahony

Artwork by Joe Painter (jcp_art)

Intro Music by Dan McKenna

If you would like to get in touch you can email the show on beneaththeskinpod@gmail.com

Finding Madeline Apr 26, 2023

Show notes

On this episode of Beneath the Skin Matt talks about his journey to uncover what happened to early 20th century tattooed runaway Madeline Altman.

If you want to follow us online for more updates CLICK HERE

Production by Thomas O'Mahony

Artwork by Joe Painter (jcp_art)

Intro Music by Dan McKenna

If you would like to get in touch you can email the show on beneaththeskinpod@gmail.com

*UNLOCKED* No Face No Case Apr 25, 2023

Show notes

Since the Nicholas Rossi/Arthur Knight story is back in the news we decided to unlock this episode so people know about one of the many insane details of the case.

On this episode of Beneath the Skin we discuss the crossover between tattooing and the law.

We cover the current Nicholas Rossi/Arthur Knight case, the famous Tichborne trial, the FBI's incomprehensible tattoo database, and lots more.

If you want to follow us online for more updates CLICK HERE

Production by Thomas O'Mahony

Artwork by Joe Painter (jcp_art)

Intro Music by Dan McKenna

If you would like to get in touch you can email the show on beneaththeskinpod@gmail.com

*PREVIEW* Mummies and More Apr 19, 2023

Show notes

Hear the rest of this episode exclusively on Patreon

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Read Anne's work