“True Cuts” by Grace Lang at Gristle Tattoo

“True Cuts” refers to the most vulnerable parts of us, the places where our insides creep out through the skin. The cut, or wound, has long been an important image in Grace’s work both for its immediate visual impact and its metaphoric possibilities. Instantly recognized, a cut is a tangible visual representation of experienced pain. The evolution of a wound into a scab into a scar has a clear parallel with the process of living through and healing from a difficult experience.  Requiring time and care to heal properly, the scar is quite literally evidence of personal maturation. The internal forces its way out and the external world rebuilds the skin as best it can, leaving a piece of us forever altered. On our bodies and on our psyches, “True Cuts” are the most pure and cathartic memories we are forced to carry as we move forward. While combating the dark things inside us will never leave us unmarked, the battle is worthwhile and the resulting wounds can serve either to strengthen or weaken the armor we cultivate throughout our lives. Rather than viewing our personal demons as enemies, Grace views them as difficult aspects of our selves that, once confronted and understood, can be utilized for good. With each difficult experience, our armor grows and we become the warriors of our own worlds.