Helltown Workshop Presents: Nautical Legends and Lore Art Exhibit

By Kris Smith
For as long as there has been ocean travel and story telling there has been tales of sea serpents wreaking havoc on ships and sailors. Leviathans of biblical proportions as well as the mermaids and sirens of Homer lured ships to swirling whirlpools and deadly reefs. The giant squid of Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Godzilla and Moby Dick all have captured the imaginations and intrigue of the public…

Artists have rendered these nightmare tales from cultures all over the world. The Japanese have the Umibozu, a sea creature believed to be the collective spirits of drowned priests who shipwrecks victims and fisherman who dare speak to it. Jormungandr, the Norse Midgard serpent was believed to have grown so large he was able to surround the earth and grasp his own tail, and if he lets go the world will end.

The artists working in the 21st century are no different and these sea monsters continue to capture the imagination and set the pen, paintbrush and tattoo machine in motion. Helltown Workshop presents an exhibit featuring world class tattoo artists who venture into these foggy, liquid worlds of sea monster tales and giant serpent lore.

These artists will present their work on canvas, wood, glass and paper in an exhibit opening September 30th and running through October 11, 2011 in our Provincetown gallery. Provincetown, being an active fishing community today and former whaling port of the late 1800s, is the perfect spot for this artistic adventure into the turbulent seas of nautical lore and legend.

The show is co-sponsored and curated by Coastline Tattoo of Provincetown, DJ Matty B, Raw Bar by Rose Oysters, Wellfleet, Pizza from George’s Pizza, Provincetown, Hand Crafted Beer from Cape Cod Beer and Hyannis.