Opening Friday, 9 June 2023, 4pm
10.06.23 - 24.06.23

FOMO Art Space
Enzianweg 4,
8048 Zurich

Sarah Abu Abdallah
Mohamed Almusibli
Chino Amobi
Nicoleta Auersperg
James Bantone
Cudelice Brazelton IV
Loucia Carlier
Line Chevalley
Anne-Lise Coste
Noémie Degen/Simon Jaton
Sylvie Fleury
Liam Gillick
Shuang Li
Kristina Lovaas
Fabian Marti
Jack O’Brien
Una Szeemann
Ian Waelder
Phillip Zach

Curated by Alana Alireza and Geraldine Belmont.

FOMO Art Space is pleased to present stick n poke, a group exhibition of new artist-designed hand-poked tattoos.

The show explores the concept of "stick and pokes", a term used to refer to non-electric tattooing, and their contemporary role in relation to tattoos in a social, political, and art production context. Entitled stick n poke, the group show is inspired by the 1990s "Tattoo Collection" project at Air de Paris. The project was also initiated by Gilles Dusein, who has since passed away from AIDS. Dusein was a major proponent of the project and ran Urbi et Orbi gallery in Paris. In the seminal 1991 show, artists were invited to send in a drawing of a tattoo by mail.

Some drawings have been realized as tattoos, some were conceptual statements, and some allusive sculptures, painting, or photographic works. The result is an extensive archive of tattoo drawings from artists such as Sylvie Fleury, John Baldessari, Liam Gillick, and Lawrence Wiener.

Stick n poke touches on the topic of skin, texture, materiality, and identity. Artist's hand-poked tattoos are realized as wall paintings and vinyl stickers throughout the space, emulating the idea of a spectator walking into a tattoo parlor with designs they can choose from all around them. The show aims to evoke a transformative visual overload, with the artworks simultaneously existing as permanent and ephemeral entities. The temporary, site-specific works are juxtaposed with the indelible quality of tattoo art.

All works are available for purchase as hand-poked tattoos on the individual's skin, tattooed by exceptionally skilled tattooists specializing in stick and pokes.

FOMO's showroom will be transformed into a tattoo parlor on June 9, 10, and 11, 2023.
For booking inquiries, kindly contact: mail@offspacefuela.ch.