Beyond Flash: Get to Know the Work of Painter and Tattoo Artist David Alcantar

A Laredo native who moved to the Alamo City as a child, artist David Alcantar has exhibited locally (at Blue Star Contemporary, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center and Freight Gallery, among others) and nationally (from Kansas and Louisiana to California and New York), often presenting work he’s summed up as “investigations and illuminations of the universal human characteristic of choice, or free will, with specific focus on negotiation behavior.” But despite his consistent contributions to San Antonio’s creative landscape, it’s safe to say many of us don’t know Alcantar’s full story or understand the breadth of his work. For starters, he’s been tattooing for 20 years and often works out of Flesh Electric Tattoo. Intentionally blurring — and questioning — boundaries between the two disciplines, Alcantar’s new solo show “Skin in the Game: Act 2” took over FL!GHT Gallery at the beginning of January with works that place “the language of tattoo into the framework of fine art, and vice versa.” Included in this slideshow are pieces from “Skin in the Game: Act 2” (which culminates with a “conclusion” reception from 6-9pm on Sat, Jan. 27) along with examples of previous work.