we are magic

a love letter to our tattoos

As an artist – and more specifically a printmaker and tattoo artist – I often witness the crossover of science and magic. Drawings turn into rituals and ink to medicine.

We are magic: a love letter to our tattoos explores this sense of wonder and acts as a greeting place for folks who feel intimidated by traditional tattoo spaces. Whether you’re here for a tattoo appointment, to read through tattoo love letters, or receive an offering of a temporary tattoo; this space has room for you.

From conversations with close friends and clients, I have come to know that there’s a shared experience when getting tattooed: with every new piece we feel closer and closer to our true selves. I consider this transformative shift magic. It has the capacity to not only change our own interpretation of ourselves but also others, a small form of shapeshifting. We can protect ourselves with tattoos; hold onto fond memories; mark moments of survival; and honour our identities. 

This book is a small collection of love letters to our tattoos, marking the resilience and power they have had the capacity to foster. With our tattoos we can dream up better and more radical futures, where our skin tells stories and casts spells.

Written and composed by Abby Nowakowski, foreword by Charlotte Gagnier, love letters by Caro Benitez, Julia Christensen, Emily Dotzert, Abby Gowland, Mariah (Mo) Horner, Ksenia Knyazeva, Isaac Mazer, Maha Noor, Krisha Shaw, Hannah Sourisseau, Abby Vincent and Justine-Marie Williams.

Production support for we are magic: a love letter to our tattoos provided through the OAC Exhibition Assistance Program.