Legendary tattoo artist Paul Booth has been forced to close his New York City studio. Financial hardship brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure, leaving Booth without a studio for the first time in two decades.

According to the Washington Post, over 100,000 small businesses in the United States have closed due to COVID-19. Even more tragic, over 100,000 Americans have died from the virus, marking another grim milestone that has changed the country forever.

A master of dark surrealism, Paul Booth has famously tattooed musicians such as Slayer’s Kerry King, Slipknot’s Corey Taylor, Pantera’s Philip Anselmo, Sepultura's Cavalera brothers, former Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler, Cradle of Filth’s Dani Filth and many other talented people, including WWE Superstars Aleister Black and the Undertaker.

“Due to COVID-19 and the current economic struggle we are all facing, I have had to close down our current premises housing Last Rites Tattoo Theatre, Last Rites Gallery, and Booth Gallery,” Paul Booth writes. “I am taking the next year to let the situation play out and plan to reopen in 2021 at a brand new location.”

“I thank all of you for your patronage over the last two decades and very much appreciate your support and understanding in this matter. To stay in the loop with future plans you can follow on Instagram at @PaulBooth and on Facebook at PaulBoothOfficial. Thank you and may you all stay safe moving forward in these troubled times.”

Loudwire’s creative partnership with Paul Booth has been one of the most fruitful and fulfilling experiences in our near-decade history, and we look forward to continue filming with Paul in the near future.

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