ARTIST – GUMMY JOHNSTON - THANKS TATTOO

SYDNEY TATTOO ACTIVATION ↴

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

This project was co-curated by legendary Australian tattooer and owner of Thanks Tattoo, Gummy Johnston who has recreated a special version of 'Battle Royale', an iconic piece that has been getting tattooed for over 100 years.

The tattoo represents life's eternal struggles and was especially chosen by Gummy as a reflection of his personal dealings with suicide and generational trauma as a consequence of suicide. The design was divided into 250 puzzle pieces, each piece being a one-of-one tattoo that is simultaneously its own unique piece of art and connecting those that have a piece living on their skin. All tattoo pieces in this activation have been allocated.

984 985 986 987 988 989 990 991 992 993 994 995 996 997 1044 1045 1046 1047 1048 1049 1050 1051 1052 1053 1054 1055 1056 1057 1104 1105 1106 1107 1108 1109 1110 1111 1112 1113 1114 1115 1116 1117 1164 1165 1166 1167 1168 1169 1170 1171 1172 1173 1174 1175 1176 1177 1224 1225 1226 1227 1228 1229 1230 1231 1232 1233 1234 1235 1236 1237 1284 1285 1286 1287 1288 1289 1290 1291 1292 1293 1294 1295 1296 1297 1344 1345 1346 1347 1348 1349 1350 1351 1352 1353 1354 1355 1356 1357 1404 1405 1406 1407 1408 1409 1410 1411 1412 1413 1414 1415 1416 1417 1464 1465 1466 1467 1468 1469 1470 1471 1472 1473 1474 1475 1476 1477 1524 1525 1526 1527 1528 1529 1530 1531 1532 1533 1534 1535 1536 1537 1584 1585 1586 1587 1588 1589 1590 1591 1592 1593 1594 1595 1596 1597 1644 1645 1646 1647 1648 1649 1650 1651 1652 1653 1654 1655 1656 1657 1704 1705 1706 1707 1708 1709 1710 1711 1712 1713 1714 1715 1716 1717 1764 1765 1766 1767 1768 1769 1770 1771 1772 1773 1774 1775 1776 1777 1824 1825 1826 1827 1828 1829 1830 1831 1832 1833 1834 1835 1836 1837 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

ALL THE LATEST NEWS ↴

Activation Participant Comments
Activation Participant Comments
“Getting my In Pieces tattoo felt like joining a family, every time I see it, I’m reminded I’m not alone.”
Activation Participant Comments
“Being tattooed as part of the activation wasn’t just about ink—it connected me to a movement of hope and resilience.”
Activation Participant Comments
“Wearing my puzzle piece tattoo makes me proud to show I’m part of something bigger that’s breaking the stigma around mental health.”