Scab Vendor Review: Gritty, Honest Documentary

To experience Scab Vendor: Confessions of a Tattoo Artist is to witness a brutally honest autobiography. It is as unapologetic as Jonathan Shaw himself.

Scab Vendor is an unapologetically gritty and grimy presentation of tattooing, the darkness of Hollywood, and heartbreaking family dynamics. Before tattooing became a commercialized and booming business, it was an underground art for the rejects of society; Shaw was at the center as it morphed into the widely accepted artform it is today. Much of the 90-minute film offers a break from typical documentary elements: family photos and found footage of Shaw’s life are overlaid with animations of his signature art. Some moments he recalls are even completely retold in animation.

One of the most mind-boggling aspects of Scab Vendor is Shaw’s lesser known account of historical events, such as his connection with Charles Manson and the evolution of tattoos in culture. Shaw was a central figure in the “underground” of New York City in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Even in 1981, after tattooing was formally banned in the city due to health and sanitation concerns, Shaw pressed on, his tattoo gun and hole-in-the-wall studio emblematic of his supremely rebellious spirit. Shaw recalls in his own words how tattoos morphed from a facet of criminal subculture to a broadly accepted and even celebrated part of society at large. Though his parents were both Hollywood stars, he found comfort and purpose in creating ambitious works of art that would follow his human canvases forever.

As a documentary, Scab Vendor is as raw and rebellious as its main subject. The film documents praise from Iggy Pop, Johnny Depp, Joe Coleman, and others to show that even though Shaw might not be a celebrity to the same degree that his customers are, his impact is as sprawling as the art he left on their bodies. Johnny Depp explains that Shaw inspired the mannerisms and design of his iconic Pirates of the Caribbean character, Captain Jack Sparrow. The film would later show him tattooing the initials, “O.C.J.” on Shaw’s arm, for “Original Captain Jack.

Such impact came at a high cost to Shaw, however. Scab Vendor covers the Shaw family history between Jonathan and his parents, revealing that several monumental life decisions—such as moving to Rio de Janeiro at a young age and becoming heavily addicted to drugs—were spurred on by the lack of love shared between them.

Though the film’s most interesting moments involve Shaw with a tattoo gun, its most insightful and stirring moments involve the ways in which Shaw reacted to his family situation. “If the drugs and alcohol don’t get you,” he confesses, “the lifestyle will.” His life in the underground was one of addiction and rage, he says, and he recalls how it made him a poor father and husband. When he finally kicked addiction, he managed to stay in touch with his son. But his relationship with his own father, Artie, was too damaged. A particularly tragic and emotional moment occurs in a recorded conversation between Jonathan and Artie. Artie doesn’t apologize for anything, and instead chooses to bicker about uncontrollable circumstances that he claims made him a bad father. Jonathan chose a different way to handle his relationship with his son.

Scab Vendor tells Shaw’s story in themed decades: the young-and-free ‘80s, the underground ‘90s, and the sober, somber ‘00s. It ends in hope; Shaw handles the camera himself for the last few moments of the film, the scene shaky and uncut. To experience Scab Vendor is to witness a brutally honest autobiography, full of insane stories, heartbreaking moments, and beautiful triumph. Its visuals and footage are as gritty and unapologetic as Jonathan Shaw himself.

Scab Vendor: Confessions of a Tattoo Artist will be released on digital and on demand on July 30, 2024.