KC Kratt's photography show of tattooed individuals, "Storied Flesh," will open tonight, Friday, May 15, from 6-8 PM at Grant Street Gallery, 216 Grant Street (at Lafayette Avenue, next door to Sweetness_7 Cafe).
Tattoos are intensely personal, and the subjects of Kratt's portraits look straight at the viewers, allowing for a depth of personality that the tattoos alone could never convey. Kratt, of course, has all the backstories of his subjects, many of which drive home the drama of the images, but even without Kratt's privileged background knowledge, the dead-on stares of the twice-created works of art evoke a certain unease and excitement all at the same time.
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Tattoos are intensely personal, and the subjects of Kratt's portraits look straight at the viewers, allowing for a depth of personality that the tattoos alone could never convey. Kratt, of course, has all the backstories of his subjects, many of which drive home the drama of the images, but even without Kratt's privileged background knowledge, the dead-on stares of the twice-created works of art evoke a certain unease and excitement all at the same time.
Were you to examine an individual's tattoo so closely in person, you might feel obligated to ask about it or look away lest your stare be felt, but here, art and viewer come silently face to face and then suddenly, smaller detail around the tattoos come into focus in these haunting, unmanipulated digital images of Kratt's. They're edgy and unnerving in their starkness - beautiful and profound in their uniqueness. And they speak volumes of the personality of their subjects.
Kratt shot most of the portraits on-site during a separate shoot he was asked to do for Planned Parenthood at the Tri-Main Center last year. As an aside, he simply put up a sign asking for individuals with tattoos to pose for him, right there on the spot. The subjects stepped forward and uncovered for Kratt, who caught these impromptu images as they presented themselves, and a show was born.
Kratt's press stated "the portrait is a chance to connect with who the subject is willing to be at that moment." In these portraits, Kratt has taken the chance and certainly made the most of it. Storied Flesh will run through the 21st.
A graduate of Toronto's Ryerson University (Bachelor of Applied Arts in Photography) and the State University of New York at Buffalo (Master of Fine Arts), Kratt's work frequently appears in magazines, books, annual reports and advertising. He has been shooting commercially for over 25 years and has won numerous awards both nationally and locally.
Best of luck with the show kc. makes me want to get inked again.