Although you may be familiar with the tattoo legends of today, from Nikko Hurtado, to Bang Bang, to Paul Booth, it's important to recognize the artists who shaped the industry into what exists today. Believe it or not, but tattooing wasn't legalized in New York until 1997, with prohibition starting in the early 60s. However, despite the laws against it at the time, rebels in the East Village and Coney Island continued to keep tattooing alive. One of the greatest artists in NYC's underground movement was Thom DeVita, who passed away on May 4th. Take a look at his contribution to the industry in the gallery below and share the love for the leaders of modern tattooing in the comment section on Facebook.
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