200 Philly tattooers, one blank back: inside the “Made to Measure” backpiece show
No needles, no skin, no models. Philadelphia’s tattoo scene took the same back-shaped template and turned it into what one artist calls maybe “the biggest and most diverse tattoo art show Philly has ever seen.”
The backpiece is the big one. It’s the canvas where an artist gets room to really show what they can do, and where a collector signs up for session after session. Now Philadelphia is putting about 200 of them on the wall at once, without a single drop of blood.
Made to Measure, curated by local tattoo artist Michael Munter, opened Friday, October 2, at Funhouse Gallery in East Kensington and runs all October, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Same template, 200 styles
Munter handed every invited artist the same blank: a white 22-by-30-inch sheet of watercolor paper cut to evoke a human back (about the size of an average adult back, per the Inquirer). Artists could use any medium, as long as the piece was ready to hang by the end of September.
“Our goal is to bring together and showcase the vast community of tattoo artists from all four corners of Philadelphia and the surrounding areas,” Munter said.
What came back covers the whole range:
- American traditional from Hailee Mae Sharkey (Lucky Penny Tattoo) and a snake charmer by Justin Rakowski (Homestead Tattoo)
- A colorful SpongeBob SquarePants portrait by Angi D. Rosa (Pale Horse Tattoo Studio)
- A Japanese-style crane by Don Juan (Floating World Tattoo)
Rakowski told the Inquirer he put around 30 to 35 hours into the painting, plus 10 to 12 hours of research and drawing. For Eva Poleon of Baltimore Ave. Tattoo, it’s her largest painted piece and her first art show contribution, inspired by traditional backpieces: “vintage, folky, and romantic.”
Philly wants its flowers
Munter, who has tattooed in the area for about 16 years, says the city’s scene doesn’t get the shine it deserves:
“New York and Los Angeles have a large tattoo community with big names in the industry that do art events. Philadelphia also has a very big tattoo culture as well, but it isn’t promoted as such.”
Some works are for sale, with pricing up to each artist, and Munter says there are plans for a book collecting every participant’s work once the show wraps.
The details
- Where: Funhouse Gallery, 2676 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19125
- When: All October. Walk-ins Wednesday–Sunday, 12–7 p.m.; Mondays and Tuesdays by appointment
- Cost: Free and open to the public
- More info: Instagram @madetomeasure2026
Going? Make it count
- Bring a notebook. Write down the names behind the pieces that hit you. That’s your shortlist for your next big project.
- Look at the linework up close. A painted backpiece shows how an artist handles flow across a full back.
- Ask about buying. Some originals are available; it’s a rare way to own work by the artist before you wear it.
Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer.
