Tuesday 12 July 2011

WILDLIFE AMBASSADORS MAKE THEIR MARK IN THE M.E.N.

Our Jai Redman is interviewed in todays M.E.N talking about the launch of We are extInked at the Manchester Museum. The full article is below:

WILDLIFE AMBASSADORS MAKE THEIR MARK

A project to highlight plants and animals threatened by extinction using permanent tattoos has gone on show in Manchester.

ExtInked saw 100 volunteers tattooed with an image of a species in the UK under threat.

The aim was for each person to become an 'ambassador' for the species they were tattooed with and to campaign for it's survival.

Now two years on, portraits of all of the volunteers - tattooed with everything from eagles to toads and wildflowers - are on display in an exhibition at Manchester Museum.

Jai Redman, who was head artist on extInked and is now creative director of artists' collective Ultimate Holding Company which ran the project, chose a tattoo of a smooth snake.

He said: "The project started a couple of years ago so this is about catching up with the ambassadors and the work they are continuing to do to promote their species."

The photographs of each ambassador, plus original drawings of the designs, will be on display until November.

For further information about the extInked project and We are extInked tour please visit the project website - www.extinked.org.uk.

For exhibition details and information about related events at the Manchester Museum please visit - www.manchester.ac.uk/museum.