A piece of art, a trashy symbol, a meaningful memory. Tattoos mean varying things to each person, but behind each tattoo is a story, a piece of someone’s history.

“Tattoo,” the latest exhibition at the Field Museum, which opened Oct. 21, explores this history and the incredible stories that have created the contemporary art of tattoos.

Separated into different ideas, visitors are first welcomed to glass doors with a common dragon symbol often tattooed, projected over the doors.

Visitors are open to the question, “What does a tattoo do?” as they overlook a dark room, with large photographs and silicone bodies spread over the gray walls.

The exhibition provides two worlds for visitors: past and present. Through the representation of past and present, stigmas behind tattoos are slashed, and a new meaning is brought to the art. Tattoos now are choices by individuals and a part of culture, but visitors are shown various cultures, outside of our own, where tattoos were one used for different meanings such as in theater, for solely women in China, in the gulags, and Japanese gang members.

The exhibition helps put the tattoo artistry on a global scale as well, showing artwork for tattoo artists throughout the world.

Much of the art shown is represented on silicone bodies. Whether it was a whole torso, a back, or just an arm or leg, each body part was modeled after a real person and then sent to artists to tattoo themselves.

This exciting part of the exhibit was very unique, visitors were able to appreciate tattoos on raw, bare skin up close instead of viewing solely photographs.

When photographs were presented, they stood out amongst the gray walls, lit and blown up so that visitors may see details in the tattoos the photographs showed, but also the individuals who were the canvas.

Many other photographs were very small, contrasting the large scale pictures. These were placed amongst clusters of other small photographs. This was because these were genuine, older pictures from times where sailors were tattooed, or even when heavily-tattooed women were seen as attractions in a circus.

As you walk through the dark exhibit, ancient artifacts are scattered with modern pieces. Topics separated the pieces, ranging from stories behind tattoos to tools used, and even punishment.

The exhibition ends with the most interactive and creative part: a live tattoo artist.

In a museum-created tattoo shop, every visitor was able to look upon an artist as he began a back piece on his client. After learning about the art so intensely, it only makes sense to be shown how it is done in real time.

Whether you have tattoos, hate tattoos, or have no opinion, “Tattoo” brings an incredible life and showcases a shocking timeline to the art that covers so many bodies today.