TATAU – Freedom | Identity | Memory
Tattoos are one of humanity’s oldest forms of expression - a language inscribed on the skin, an archive of memories, identity, and belonging. In this exhibition we gaze at tattooed women from around the world. Through photographs and stories, you will meet women who carry their history on their skin as marks of pride, tradition, and resistance.
The word “tattoo” derives from the Tahitian word “tatau,” which means “to mark” or “to strike.” Regardless of what tattoos are called - deq, sicanje, ming, titi, tunniit - they carry meanings that extend far beyond the aesthetic. They reveal who you are and can protect, heal, and mark transitions in one’s life.
Tatau – Freedom, Identity and Memory is a tribute to women’s stories etched in ink on the body. The exhibition shows how ancient traditions have regained their power, and how women continue to wear their identity on their skin and mark their place in the world.
Exhibition period: June 27, 2026 – January 10, 2027
Produced by: The National Museums of World Culture
