World famous tattoo artist and counter-culture icon, Jonathan Shaw has released his first novel, entitled “Narcisa: Our Lady of Ashes.” Shaw is the son of legendary jazz musician, Artie Shaw. He is well known for tattooing many celebrities and he is one of the founding father’s of the modern tribal tattoo movement. He has also had a wildly successful career as a fine artist, magazine editor and all around creative madman.
According to his friend Johnny Depp , “If Hubert Selby Jr., Charles Bukowski, Ernest Hemingway, Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, Neil Cassady, Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, the Marquis de Sade, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto, Edward Teach, Charley Parker, Iggy Pop, Louis-Ferdinand Celine, R. Crumb, Robert Williams, Joe Coleman, Dashiell Hammett, E.M. Cioran and all of the Three Stooges had all been involved in some greasy, shameful, evil whorehouse orgy, Jonathan Shaw would surely be its diabolical, reprobate spawn.” Quite the compliment from one of the world’s leading movie stars. Depp has many tattoos, most of which were done by the master himself, Mr. Shaw.
Narcisa: Our Lady of Ashes focuses on a wild love affair that transits from the slums of Rio de Janeiro to the seedy hotspots of New York City. It traces the narrator Cigano’s desperate attempts to cope with the behavior of his lover Narcisa, as her life spirals out of control into an existence of drugs, burglaries and violent mood swings. It is a masterful exploration of a destructive relationship in a world saturated with excess.
The forward of the novel is by the equally infamous Lydia Lunch, well known for her years in the punk music world and her artistic endeavors. The novel is being highly touted by many of Shaw’s fans who include the previously mentioned Ms. Lunch and Mr. Depp as well as film maker Jim Jarmusch and Punk music hero Iggy Pop. The novel has received many outstanding reviews and comments on Amazon.com and it is a resoundingly successful debut for author Jonathan Shaw.