tigerbob.store — A Second Home
Artist & designer Gossamer Rozen provides an introduction to the concept & purpose of Tigerbob Store flagship retail store & studio in Brooklyn, New York
During high school I spent every second of free time doodling in my sketchbook. And it didn’t matter where I was at the time — in class or in the cafeteria — it seemed like there was always someone looking over my shoulder to take a peek at what I was working on. I sometimes need time alone with my work, but when I am comfortable, I always let people watch.
There’s something special about not only the evidence of the work, but also the gaze of the audience as the artist does their thing. I don’t think anyone gets tired of marveling at how things are made. I always enjoy sharing my process, as many have seen with my posts about handpoke tattoos I’ve made on myself or videos I collaborated on with Inked Magazine and Second Skin.
In addition to sharing my process, I also love to share the objects that inspire my work. During my time as an undergraduate at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, my favorite place to hang out was the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, just next door. It’s amazing to see a private collection of so many unique and wonderful objects curated by the owner exactly the way she wanted it — it was her house, she lived there. And stepping through those halls it was evident how much she loved sharing all those things with her friends and patrons.
An aspiring textile collector in my early 20’s, I had dreams to share my own collections in a house-museum alongside the work I produced. This concept brings together some of the old, and all of the new — an important context that you don’t often see when browsing a gallery exhibition.
Fast forward to summer 2022 where I find myself sharing a small warehouse space with my friend Evan English in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, a place to work on my textile projects. Finally, many of the textiles I had collected over the last decade had a place to live outside of my own home. It was only six months later that I upgraded to my first solo, private studio at the Industry City complex in the same neighborhood.
While browsing the private studios, I walked among the Makers Guild — a section of conceptual artist-run storefronts on the second floor of Building 5. Here, workplace meets retail: each space is a combination of the artist’s working studio and a storefront with their finished work for sale. Seeing products get made while browsing finished pieces makes a massive difference in one’s appreciation for craftsmanship. Take a moment to talk to the artisans and learn about their process. This is something that is lost when we browse thousands of objects endlessly online. Someday, I told myself, I was going to have a studio in the Makers Guild.
And that dream has come true! As of February 1, 2024, Tigerbob Store is now open in the Makers Guild. After a successful three-month pop up on the first floor of Building 5, I was provided an opportunity to move my studio upstairs, and recently, to a 1200 square foot space perfect for everything that I do. This is now home to my tattoos, textile work, and everything else I can think of.
What’s so special about this space? As long as I can remember it’s been important for me to have a solo space as an artist. Growing up as a child and studying art as an adult, I always dreamed of having this world where everything I’m surrounded by I created myself: my clothes, my toys, shoes, furniture, my home even. Perhaps this is interconnected with my mental health, and my drive to express my inner self with my art. But the desire — or necessity — to create a soft, safe space has always been important.
And beyond the personal satisfaction of this space I call a second home, a home that you are invited to, is your entry and your participation in this space. All of my favorite things are here. Maybe they are some of your favorite things, too. I love this rug, do you like it too? I can get a little nerdy about its construction & history if you let me. This chair is really interesting and comfortable. I love its shape. I like to collect antique rope from Japan, it’s woven from old fabric scraps. I don’t have room in my apartment for all this stuff. I can’t enjoy all this by myself. That’s why it’s here for everyone who spends time in my space. And to be honest, it’s good these objects are in my studio space, so I continue to be surrounded by all the things that inspire me.
Alongside these objects are all the things I’ve made, too. All the clothes I produced with Tailored Industry are hanging up, sorted by color and size. The prints I made are hanging up on the glass partition. And I patched together the changing room curtain from old and new fabric, some of my favorites. And there’s tons of work-in-progress here, too. Here is a cardigan I’m finishing right now. I have this rug I haven’t finished yet. Some sculptures I’ve been meaning to paint. All my tattoo equipment is here, too.
Tattoo clients in 2023 had the pleasure of enjoying my smaller private space while receiving tattoos from me. Surrounded by all my textiles and art pieces, my antique knitting machine and tufting yarn, there was a lot that started to make sense in those experiences. And I think that will be amplified once I start taking walk-in clients on weekends when the store is open, and private sessions during the week when the store is closed for a quieter, more intimate atmosphere.
And that’s what my work has always been about. Bringing together all my different practices, artistic mediums, inspirations, objects… the experiences associated with all of them. It makes a lot more sense when you see it all together. That is the joy of tigerbob.store. When you take a moment to visit, no matter if you purchase something or just pop in, I hope you’ll feel that unique warmth I’ve invited you to share.
On a final note, I am sad to report that our store was broken into on the evening of February 24, 2024. This is an unfortunate event that is being investigated. Nearly $5,000 worth of my work was taken, mostly cashmere artist editions and a few one of a kind pieces. This is heartbreaking but I will not place focus on it nor will I allow this to impede me.
If you want to send some support, all prints & books are 50% off in-store and online at https://tigerbob.store through the end of March 2024 with coupon code “RECOVERY.” I hope you can snag a few gifts for yourself and friends, and help support during this time. It means a lot.
