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Release: Permanent Portraits
November 6th, 2014
BETHLEHEM, PA—In complement to our exhibition Portraits, running until November 30, Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites invites you to come listen to local tattoo legend Alexis Kovacs discuss her technique of portraiture in body art. Alexis shot to fame when she appeared on Best Ink, a competitive reality show on the Oxygen Channel. She has been featured in many tattoo magazines, such as Ink Slingers as well as local publications, including several articles and a photo spread in The Morning Call. Her shop, Electric Cheetah, is located at 707 N New Street in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Tattoos were originally associated with various ethnic groups and/or cultures – mainly Pacific Islanders and African tribes – as body decoration was used to represent their various religious beliefs and societies. During the Victorian period, the concept of memorializing loved ones was a popular trend. Encouraged by the accessibility of photography, this new medium provided a keepsake. Thanks to another new medium, body art has become the contemporary, and permanent, way to commemorate someone.
The Permanent Portraits lecture will take place November 6, 2014 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Admission is $15 for members of Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites and $20 for the general public. To reserve your seat today, please contact Katy Molinaro at 610-882-0450 ext. 10. Tickets include the lecture, a beverage, and complete access to the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts’ galleries. Before the lecture, pick from a number of different designs and receive a temporary henna tattoo.
Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites is a not-for-profit institution that brings to life three centuries of American history. Historic Bethlehem tells the story of a small town of great influence, home to some of our nation’s earliest settlers, to America’s first municipal water pumping system, and to one of the world’s greatest industrial companies. Historic Bethlehem is located in eastern Pennsylvania, only a 1.5 hour drive from Philadelphia to the North and 2 hours west of New York City. Historic Bethlehem is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and a National Historic Landmark District. For more information please call 1-800-360-TOUR or visit www.HistoricBethlehem.org.
