The Chippewa Valley Museum (1204 E. Half Moon Dr., Eau Claire) will take an immersive approach to explore both the history and artistry of tattooing with its newest exhibit, “Tattoo: Identity Through Ink.”

From late January through April, the Eau Claire installation will spotlight the centuries-long practice with contemporary spotlights on the Chippewa Valley’s own tattoo artists.

“For more than 5,000 years, tattoos have helped document the history of humanity one painful mark at a time,” the museum shared. “They are a powerful visual language of the skin, and, like texts, they permanently record memories, life stories, and personal achievements.”

Artists from the Chippewa Valley and the wider region will be setting up in the gallery over the coming weeks to offer live tattoo demonstrations.

On Saturday, Feb. 7, Danni from “Lepus Tattoo” based in St. Paul, Minn. – within the Cozy Camp Collective studio – hopped on over to Eau Claire for a day-long open session for patrons to observe and also receive their own tattoo.

The Chippewa Valley Museum also offered “The Tattoo Process,” a special presentation providing an in-depth exploration of the history and contemporary practices of body adornment.

Its current installation on display is curated by Dr. Lars Krutak, an anthropologist and research associate at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, N.M..

His studies and authored texts observe the sacred traditions of Indigenous body modification; “Tattoo: Identity Through Ink” spotlights the contrasts between ancient and contemporary tattoos and how they influence and reflect the identities of cultural groups.

To learn more about “Tattoo: Identity Through Ink,” on display at the Chippewa Valley Museum (1204 E Half Moon Dr., Eau Claire) visit cvmuseum.com.