About

About the Project

‘Ancestry Ink’ was created in fulfillment of Honors in Art History at Skidmore College and is based on a series of interviews conducted in January and February 2026. In interviewing the three figures highlighted here and compiling some of their publicly accessible work, the project aims to democratize access to scholarship and artistry. Enormous thanks to Aaron, Rhoda, and Maya for their time, interest, and images, and to Skidmore’s Art History department for their support.

About the Author

Lauren Attwell was born and raised in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Studying Art History and Anthropology at Skidmore College, she fell in love with tattooing in art history and archaeology, curating her first exhibition with the Tang Teaching Museum which focuses on otherness represented in contemporary tattooing. Lauren hopes to continue studying archaeological body modification in her postgraduate education. In her free time, Lauren enjoys reading Kurt Vonnegut, looking at pictures of her dog, and asking everyone she encounters about their tattoos.