KOZO’s latest works radiate devotion, strength and sacred modernity

KOZO’s latest paintings are not concerned with novelty for novelty’s sake. Rather, they are marked by a quiet, deliberate turn toward the timeless.

Trained not in the quiet halls of academia, but in the visceral world of tattoo, KOZO now turns his eye and his hand toward the eternal. In doing so, he is constructing something rare: an aesthetic language that bridges body and icon, classical form and modern impulse, permanence and evolution.

With works such as Goddess of Love and Love + Sweat + Tears, he engages directly with classical themes—devotion, sacrifice, the divine feminine—and renders them not in marble or oil, but in a visual syntax born of tattoo, textile, and ritual.

The Goddess of Love appears less as a portrait than as a reverent invocation. With this piece, KOZO calls upon the long tradition of female divinity in art—Aphrodite, Isis, Guanyin—and transforms it into a contemporary archetype. The work is neither passive nor ornamental. It radiates strength, serenity, and a layered sensuality. Gold leaf halos frame the face, not as embellishment, but as statement: the sacred belongs not to the distant past, but to the now.

In Love + Sweat + Tears, KOZO presents a meditation on human endurance. The composition holds the viewer in an emotional suspension. One senses the tension between the impulse to hold on and the inevitability of letting go. It is a visual narrative—sparse, intentional, and potent. The painting speaks of labor, vulnerability, and the cost of becoming.

What makes these works remarkable is KOZO’s ability to hold opposing energies in a single frame. They are at once refined and raw, formal and expressive, ancient and utterly contemporary. This duality—this tension—defines his evolving aesthetic.

Tattoo as Foundation, Not Footnote

Much has been said about KOZO’s background in tattoo, but what is often overlooked is the depth of historical literacy that grounds his practice. In KOZO’s world, tattoo is not subculture; it is scripture. It is both medium and metaphor—used not for shock or style, but as a way of marking what matters.

His mastery of line, his command of negative space, and his understanding of the body as canvas are all born from years spent working directly on skin. Yet, in these new works, KOZO is not simply transposing tattoo into fine art. He is refining it, layering it with painterly language, and placing it in dialogue with the history of image-making itself.

Whereas previous series may have emphasized rhythm and rebellion, these new works draw closer to reflection and reverence. He is painting not only with ink and pigment, but with history—with the memory of icons, frescoes, and devotional art that once adorned the walls of churches, temples, and palaces.

Maison Margiela Collaboration: A Fusion of Tattoo and Fashion

In December 2024, KOZO collaborated with Maison Margiela to create an exclusive capsule collection unveiled during Miami Art Week. This partnership featured 18 one-of-a-kind pieces, including Tabi boots, Replica sneakers, handbags, and Gentle Monster sunglasses, each adorned with KOZO’s monochromatic tattoo-inspired designs.

The motifs—dripping paint, duct tape, whited-out Renaissance paintings, and torn paper revealing butterflies—were applied with precision, transforming Margiela’s iconic designs into wearable works of art. Each piece was signed by KOZO and included a tattoo needle in the packaging, symbolizing the fusion of tattoo artistry and high fashion. 

This collaboration not only showcased KOZO’s ability to bridge the worlds of tattoo and fashion but also highlighted his growing influence in the contemporary art scene.

An Invitation to Witness

On May 16, DTR Modern Galleries Boston will unveil the latest works by KOZO—an artist who, despite his contemporary edge, draws from the deepest wellsprings of art history. 

This is not merely a new show. It is a decisive moment in the artist’s trajectory—one in which the visual boldness that first drew collectors to his work begins to merge with a deeper, more formal sophistication.

This exhibition at DTR Modern Boston is not designed for spectacle. It is meant for contemplation. In a city known for its intellectual rigor and aesthetic restraint, KOZO offers something quietly radical: a return to the emotional and spiritual dimensions of art. Here, the body is not simply depicted. It is honored. The icon is not imitated. It is resurrected.

The evening of May 16th will bring together those who seek more from art than decoration. It will welcome the collectors, the thinkers, the seekers—and perhaps, those who have forgotten what it feels like to truly see.

KOZO | DTR Modern Galleries Boston | May 16 | 6 to 8 p.m.
For inquiries and RSVP: info@dtrmodern.com | Follow @dtrmodern