Don Ed Hardy
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Don Ed Hardy is an American tattoo artist born in Iowa in 1945, and raised in Southern California from the age of one. Hardy was the first Western tattoo artist to incorporate Japanese tattoo aesthetic and technique into his work and is an accomplished fine artist, as well.
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[edit] Biography
A Southern California native born in 1945, Don Hardy revived a childhood determination to become a tattoo artist and underwent a tattoo apprenticeship while simultaneously receiving a B.F.A. degree in printmaking at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1967. Tattooing professionally since then, he developed the fine art potential of the medium with emphasis on its Asian heritage. In 1973 he lived in Japan, studying with a traditional tattoo master he was introduced to by his primary mentor in the medium, Sailor Jerry Collins of Honolulu. He resumed these studies in Japan throughout the 1980s. Since 1974 he pioneered the emphasis on unique tattoo commissions at his San Francisco studio.
In 1982 he and his wife, Francesca Passalacqua, formed Hardy Marks Publications and have written, edited and published over twenty-five books on alternative art. They moved their primary household to Honolulu in 1986, where Hardy resumed painting, drawing, and printmaking. He maintains the studio Tattoo City in San Francisco, with younger artists continuing to evolve and carry on his unique work format. Hardy's primary focus is on creating and exhibiting works in more traditional mediums, including porcelain painting. He began developing this body of work in 2006 in a traditional Japanese setting.
In addition to showing his own works, Hardy has curated a number of exhibitions for both galleries and nonprofit spaces and frequently lectures at museums and universities. His work has appeared in numerous periodicals, books, and films internationally. In 2004 "Ed Hardy", a major fashion line featuring his artwork, was launched internationally. Hardy and his wife now divide their time between Honolulu and the San Francisco Bay area.
[edit] Tattootime & other publications
In 1982 Hardy and his wife formed Hardy Marks Publications. Under this marque, they began publishing the five book series Tattootime, notable for the high quality of both the articles and the full color images inside. Tattootime was one of several publications, which along with later publications by others, such as Modern Primitives (ReSearch Publications, San Francisco) and Body Art, did much to promote and popularize tattooing with new audiences. Hardy Marks publications include catalogs of Hardy's work and that of Sailor Jerry Collins, as well as other alternative art subjects.
[edit] Career today
Today Hardy is retired from doing actual tattoos, but oversees and mentors the artists at his San Francisco studio, Tattoo City. Since the 1980s, he has concentrated heavily on non-tattoo based art forms, especially printmaking, drawing and painting.
Track 16 Gallery in Santa Monica, CA has represented Hardy since 1997. Show dates below.
DON ED HARDY: WHEN WEST MEETS EAST May 17-June 14, 2008
FIVE STORIES HIGHER January 13-February 10, 2007
GHOST WRITERS AND AUTOMATICS February 19-March 12, 2005
"MAD DOG MUTANT" BOB ROBERTS VS. "DON THE DOG" ED HARDY March 8-April 12, 2003
2000 DRAGONS November 18, 2000-January 20, 2001
TATTOOING THE INVISIBLE MAN 1995-1999 November 20-January 22, 2000
PERMANENT CURIOS September 27-November 15, 1997
[edit] Artistic career and influence
Hardy is most notable as a fine artist for his enduring exploration of the intersection between the graphic traditions of “low culture” tattoo art and refined sensibilities of “high art” aesthetics, a common feature of postmodernism. Hardy pioneered the pop-culture tattoo-as-art space decades before the worldwide boom in tattoo art that permeates popular culture. In addition to showing his own works, Hardy has curated a number of exhibitions for both galleries and nonprofit spaces and frequently lectures at museums and universities. His work has appeared in numerous periodicals, books, and films internationally. In 2000, he was appointed by Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown to that city's Cultural Arts Commission, and awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the San Francisco Art Institute.
[edit] Don Ed Hardy Brands
In 2002 Hardy was approached by Ku USA, Inc. to produce a line of clothing based on Hardy's art. Hardy appreciated the Asian sensibilities of the Ku collection and a license agreement was signed. Within two years, the collection had drawn the interest of large clothing companies. A decision was made by Hardy and Ku USA to form Hardy Life LLC, which holds the trademark ownership as well as the copyrights to all his images.
In 2004 Christian Audigier licensed the rights to produce the Ed Hardy clothing line[1], which is based on Hardy's imagery. Prior to the Ed Hardy clothing line, Audigier was the Head Designer at Von Dutch Originals, which marketed the imagery of legendary Kustom Kulture artist Von Dutch. Audigier has attempted to replicate the marketing techniques employed by Von Dutch Originals, by marketing directly to celebrity clients and by opening stores in high profile fashion districts. There are currently at least twelve Ed Hardy stores, located in Waikiki, Dubai, Dallas, Miami, Los Angeles, Tucson, New York, Tokyo, Singapore, Noosa on The Sunshine Coast, Melbourne, Sydney, Riga and Gold Coast which opened slightly earlier than expected in late 2007. Stores were opened in Johannesburg, South Africa in early 2007 and Cape Town, South Africa in late 2007. In late 2007, stores were opened in New Delhi & Mumbai. He opened another store in San Francisco in March of 2008 just blocks from Union Square in the city's famous Market Street shopping district as well as a store in Hamburg located in the city centre.
[edit] Ed Hardy Fragrances
- Ed Hardy Men's EDT[2], created in honor of Ed Hardy tattoo art, designer is Christian Audigier comes with tiger tattoo application on the bottle and outer box. This fragrance is launched in 2008.
- Ed Hardy Women's EDT[3] is a female fragrant representative of the tattoo art. Its design brings effective pink application in line with the scent. Designer of this perfume is Christian Audigier and the fragrance was launched in 2008.
[edit] References
- ^ French designer Christian Audigier: Hollywood's new star, AFP, 11 March 2008
- ^ Ed Hardy Men's EDT
- ^ Ed Hardy Women's EDT
- Modern Primitives. Re/Search Publications. ISBN 0-940642-14-X.
- Body Modification E-Zine entry on Don Ed Hardy
