Ed Hardy: Tattoo the World on DVD September 20
Ed Hardy is not a tattoo artist; he is a tattooer. Hardy does not make an issue of the distinction, however it’s interesting. Throughout Ed Hardy: Tattoo the World, Hardy consistently uses the term “tattooer” to describe what he is. Oddly, many “tattoo artists” produce tattoos that lack the complexity and beauty of Hardy’s designs, and Hardy is an artist in other media.
Ed Hardy is one of the world's most famous tattooers—his designs are featured on apparel, housewares, and too many other items to list, as well as on the skin of hundreds of people (or, more likely, thousands). He decided at age ten that he wanted to be a tattooer—when all his 1950s friends were declaring their intentions of being firemen and jet pilots. Ed Hardy: Tattoo the World is Hardy’s life history filled with illustrations. It will be available on VOD, digital platforms, and DVD, September 20, 2011.
The documentary follows Hardy’s aspirations from childhood, through art school, and throughout the many stages of his career. Hardy is “the man behind the “$500-million-a-year merchandise empire” that has his work popping up all over, yet he seems remarkably unaffected. He’s a man who’s done what he wants to do, and been a success—so what? In interviews he is earnest and enthusiastic about his work, and clearly he has a passion for it.
Ed Hardy: Tattoo the World is not a film to be enjoyed by tattoo enthusiasts only--it's appeal is much broader--nor is it a penetrating look at the cultural significance of tattoos. It barely touches on the “outsider art” aspect or the status of tattoos. Instead, it focuses on the history of one man who made tattooing his life. Extensive interviews with both Hardy and his wife of thirty-five years provide an intimate portrait of a man who is quite open in his admiration of other tattooers, discussing them with respect and, at times, reverence.
Visually rich with samples of Hardy’s work, Ed Hardy: Tattoo the World is a fascinating look at an artist without pretentions. And for those of us with a low pain threshold, it reinforces our decision to remain a blank canvas.
Ed Hardy: Tattoo the World is packaged with four temporary Ed Hardy tattoos, and includes deleted scenes, additional interviews, and more tattoos and artwork.
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