"Skin Shows" is a publication on the subject of tattooing. It is a photographic journey both through the history and the global culture of tattoo art; a startling and provocative appraisal of an ancient art form that until recently remained hidden in the cultural backwaters of our society. From the rebirth of tattooing in Europe during the 19th century with wonderful images of early studios and equipment, to 1970s America, the emergence of iconic tattoos and a renaissance that is still being felt worldwide today, "Skin Shows" is a stunning and comprehensive visual document. But above all, it is a book about people and personalities: headhunters, skinheads, circus freaks, Buddhist monks and tattoo fetishists all reveal their obsessions and dedication to the ritual of ink and pain.