Paul Booth. Selected Works

About

Tattoo artist, sculptor, painter and filmmaker – Paul Booth combines his many passions with his exceptional capacity to transform horror and the macabre into dark art that inspires.

Best known for his 21 plus years of tattoo experience, Paul began honing his craft at the age of 21 in Butler, NJ. Since then, he has gained a cult following that includes heavy metal rockers, actors, musicians and fans, who wait over three years for an appointment. This following, along with artworks that speaks for themselves, has lead Rolling Stone Magazine to dub Paul “The New King of Rock Tattoos.” His celebrity clientele includes names like Greg Allman, members of Slayer, Slipknot, Pantera, Down, Lamb of God, and many more.

In addition to tattooing, Paul has gained acclaim for his dedication to the evolution of his craft and his efforts to elevate the medium into the realm of fine art. This devotion and enthusiasm has given Paul the noted distinction of being the first tattoo artist ever inducted into The National Arts Club (NAC) – the oldest and one of the most respected art institutions in the United States today.

In an effort to combine his many passions, Paul founded The Last Rites Tattoo Theatre and Art Gallery in Upper Chelsea, Manhattan in 2006. This legendary location blends the ominous, haunting atmosphere of a Paul Booth tattoo studio with a Fine Art gallery displaying a unique collection of dark painterly works. Described by Paul as “a surreal ride into the dark side,” a trip to Last Rites brings guests in contact with some of the finest tattoo artists from the four corners of the earth (including Toxyc [France], Little Dragon [China], Stefano [Peru] and a consistent roster of internationally acclaimed guest artists), and exposes them to an ever evolving collection of paintings, sculptures and instillations (featuring works by highly accomplished painters, such as HR Giger, Michael Hussar, Chet Zar, Shawn Barber and David Stoupakis). Together, the tattoo studio and art gallery bring emotionally intense and profound visual content that submerges the viewer in a distinctive creative atmosphere commanding the senses and moving them to the core.

In 2000, Paul co-founded an international charitable art organization called The ArtFusion Experiment (AFE) with world-renowned peers, Filip and Titine Leu. In association with The International Child Arts Foundation (ICAF), AFE is devoted to bringing art to underprivileged children from around the world. This tattoo-centric art movement focuses its energy on a unique collaborative art concept and demonstrates the strength of the contemporary tattoo artist’s ability to work together as a community. This aspect of AFE allows artists to put their egos aside and collaboratively fuse their individual styles to achieve unequaled works of art. It also gives the artist the opportunity to be both a student and a teacher simultaneously. This unique nature of AFE provides artists from around the world a chance to work together to create a single piece.

Always searching for new ways to express himself and reach fans globally, Paul made his directorial debut in 2007 with a documentary chronicling the work of AFE. “The ArtFusion Experiment” took home the honor of Best Feature Documentary at The Newport Beach Film Festival. Paul’s second film, the experimental pseudo-documentary “Paul Booth's Last Rites: Volume I” deftly illustrates his unique twisted vision. The film provides a closer look into the process of Paul’s art, and a glance into the lifestyles that surround him.