There’s a girl, who I’ve never met, who sent me the info on this event. She grew up in CO and TX, where I now split time, and get this–she grew up in the tiny town of Sugar Land, outside of Houston, where I was actually born! It’s crazy. And, it’s crazy how much synchronicity there is between Austin and Aspen. The guy who runs Aspen Skollie went to UT, and I got an email from a B&B that has properties both outside of Austin and Aspen. Whaaaaa?
Anyway, this isn’t about all that, it’s about the gritty, historical, fascinating and award-winning documentary Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry, which is screening for FREE on June 13th and 14th. The film pays homage to the life of Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins, who apparently expanded the color palette of modern day tattooing with the creation of purple ink, and his custom-built tattoo machines are still revered today. He was one of the first American tattoo artists to correspond directly with the Japanese tattoo masters (known as Horis), earning him the moniker ‘Hori Smoku’. More importantly, this correspondence led to the development of Sailor Jerry’s own unique, artistic style that changed American tattooing forever. And rum.
The movie is a juxtaposition of rare interviews, photographs, and archival footage, unveiling the past, present and future of this global tattooing phenomenon. The documentary also features extensive interviews with famous protégés, including Ed Hardy (ha). No word on if free Sailor Jerry’s rum will be distributed … 🙂
Screenings are at 9:30pm June 13 & 14 at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar. They are free, just RSVP ASAP to http://horismokumovie.com/austin_screening
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