In 1974, Emiko Omori received her first tattoo from Ed Hardy and a strong bond was formed. Nearly 40 years later, the filmmaker reunites with the master of body imagery to chart his unexpected rise to cult status and phenomenal influence on pop culture. Ed Hardy Tattoo the World, Omori’s affectionate and personal documentary, chronicles the journey of the artist and, by extension, the evolution of tattooing from a marginalized to respectable art form. Coming of age in southern California in the 1950s, Hardy was inexplicably drawn to tattooing and the sub-culture it represented. After graduating from the San Francisco Art Institute, he decided to devote his energy to elevating his chosen field. With one foot in the world of tattooing and the other in fine arts, Hardy refined and reinvigorated the ancient craft of body imagery. His perseverance finally paid off in 2004, when his images caught the eye of a clothing designer and the Ed Hardy brand was born.


Written and photographed by Emiko Omori. (75 minutes)