See also: The Boulder Tattoo Project puts poetry in motion
"Because they moved before we could capture an image of their tattoo, we had to re-assign their word or phrase to a new participant," recounts project manager Chelsea Pohl. Consequently, there are now "twelve tattoo twins running around, though six are in other states at this point," she notes.
Photographer Andrew Brislin's photographs of the tattoos were critical to the project because the Lexington, Kentucky-based project founders, Kurt Gohde and Kremena Todorova, wanted to transform the photos into an eight-minute film with music composed by Gregory Alan Isakov and a recording of Waldman's reading of the poem at Innisfree Poetry Bookstore & Cafe in Boulder last August.
The film, which premieres this week, features "one image per word/phrase of the poem," explains Pohl. "We did individual portrait photos. Some were closeups and some were full body shots. Sort of depended on placement of the body." "I was amazed at everyone's energy," Pohl concludes. "I was impressed by how excited everyone was and how punctual most people were! The most amazing thing by far was the stamina and workload the tattoo artists took on. They really showed amazing spirit throughout the whole week."The Boulder Tattoo Project film will screen at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 2 at the Boulder Theater. Tickets are $10 and up (sixteen and under are free) and benefit Boulder Arts Week; they can be purchased online or at the door.
The film will also be screened at mmmmmBoulder! at 7 p.m. April 26 at the Dairy Center for the Arts. Tickets for that showing are $25 and up; purchase them online.