Planet Ink

The Art and Studios of the World’s Top Tattoo Artists

By Dale Rio
Contents
Introduction 6
1 Aaron Bell, Seattle, USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2 Bugs, Los Angeles, USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3 Madame Chan, Berlin, Germany, and Brussels, Belgium . . . . . . . . . . 24
4 Mo Coppoletta, London, England . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
5 Eddie David, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
6 Daniel DiMattia, Liege, Belgium. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Indigenous Tattooing: Three Views of Samoa 52

7 Su’a Sulu’ape Alaiva’a Petelo, Apia, Samoa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
8 Sulu’ape Angela, San Diego, USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
9 Brent McCown, Carinthia, Austria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

10 Durga, Jakarta, Indonesia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

11 Gakkin, Kyoto, Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
12 Henning Jørgensen, Helsingør, Denmark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
13 Rory Keating, San Diego, USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
14 Jime Litwalk, Las Vegas, USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
15 Maneko, Brasilia, Brazil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
16 Noon, Troyes, France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
17 Keone Nunes, Oahu, USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
18 Te Rangitu, Waipapa, New Zealand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
19 Hori Ryu, Vancouver, Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
20 Zoé Thorne, Berlin, Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Artist Information 158

Index 159
 Introduction
Being tasked with selecting twenty tattooists to profile
was daunting, to say the very least.

Tattooing has become more socially acceptable over the years, with tattoo shops on street
corners in major cities and small towns alike, tattooed celebrities gracing magazine covers,
and bookstore shelves overflowing with tattoo titles.
Many people miss the bygone days when tattooing was underground and
somewhat akin to the days of Prohibition. You needed an introduction for a tattooist
to see you. Tattoo magazines were few and far between, shuffled in among porn mags
on the newsstands, and books on tattooing were even more rare. Getting tattooed
meant something then—you had to really want it to jump through the necessary
hoops. To become a tattooist was even more complicated and often required a nearly
unendurable apprenticeship.
As tattooing has gained in popularity, accessibility has increased. Not only are more
people getting tattooed, but also more people are interested in becoming tattooists,
and information and equipment are readily available. In the glut of newly anointed
tattooists, there are those whose skill level could be considered subpar, but the scores
of truly dedicated tattooists who utilize the available wealth of information to the fullest
outnumber them by far. There are more tattooists doing high-caliber work now than ever.
Which made my task that much harder.
How does one narrow down the seemingly endless list of talented tattooists? What
separates a technically skilled tattooist from one who has both skill and vision?
With the goal of including a wide variety of styles, instead of rehashing currently
popular themes in tattooing, the entire globe served as a source of inspiration for this book;
the human construct of international borders disappeared. Preconceptions disappeared
as well, as the book took on a life of its own. It developed organically as I worked off of a
wish list, and tattooists I interviewed recommended others, often unknown to me, until
a wildly divergent yet simultaneously linked group of tattooists was brought together. A
group that represents the diversity in tattooing today—tattooists from different countries
and cultures, working in different styles and with different attitudes and philosophies
regarding their work.
There are tattooists who see their profession as a trade like any other, while others
consider it a fine art. Some work solely in the medium of ink on skin, while for
others tattooing is just one of many artistic media they use to express their creativity.
There are those who recognize the sociological or anthropological value of tattooing
and utilize it to strengthen their communities or to ensure the continuity of centuries-
old traditions.

6
 There are those who prefer to stay within the confines of tattoo traditions
and those who push the proverbial envelope.
I discovered that these two themes—tradition and innovation—kept
recurring throughout my research. Many of the tattooists I interviewed
expressed strong convictions regarding tradition and/or innovation, and I
realized that most could be placed into one category or the other, regardless
of how they approached their work. Recognizing these themes, and paying
close attention to how they were addressed, brought up questions pertaining
to the development of tattooing as a whole. Is stylistic innovation necessary
for the progress of tattooing? Must traditional tattooing styles be practiced
in the way they have been for centuries, or is change important to keep
them alive?
These questions would best be specifically addressed in another book, but
within these pages can be found insight into them as varied as the tattooists
themselves. But even though the opinions diverge, they all contain a sincere
desire for what’s best for the vitalization of tattooing.
This sincerity is a common thread throughout the book, as is inspiration.
Inside you’ll find stories of people who have stood up to adversity in order to
achieve their goals and those who turned their backs on financial or material
success in order to find true happiness. You’ll find tales of disappointment
transformed into hope and recounts of personal journeys. You’ll find humor
and, at times, a touch of sadness. But most of all, you’ll find strength and
inspiration all held together with fine lines of ink indelibly etched in skin.

Hori Ryu and his son, Hiromu, at work in

the Strictly Tattoo Gallery in Vancouver,
British Columbia. Author photo

7
 CHAPTER 1

Aaron Bell
Seattle, USA
At Slave to the Needle, in Seattle, Washington, it isn’t unusual for staff
and clients to be intellectually challenged by owner Aaron Bell.

Aaron believes that it’s an artist’s responsibility to question both authority and reality,
and he will often arrive at work with a discussion topic already prepared to throw into the
mix when the shop gets busy. And Aaron doesn’t pull any punches with his subject
matter either. Not only does he encourage people to discuss varied topics like
Egyptian, Greek, and Christian mythology, Satanism, animism, and the
power of propaganda and culture, but also more overtly political issues
such as globalization, bioregionalism, peak oil, and the 9/11 Truth
Movement. More often than not, Aaron finds that everyone walks
away pondering a new idea or regarding an old idea with a fresh
perspective. To him, nothing is taboo.
This sense of provocation has been a common thread in
Aaron’s life, from his childhood in ultraconservative Orange
County, California, right through to the present. As a kid, Aaron
displayed his rebellion outwardly, like many disaffected youth do,
but with age comes wisdom, and he has since found healthier
channels through which to express his natural aversion toward
authority and oppression.
Aaron’s political views were shaped at an early age. Growing up in
one of the wealthiest counties in the United States during the Reagan years,

8
9
 he watched his mom, a single, overworked, and underpaid schoolteacher,
struggle through massive budget cuts in education while raising Aaron and
his sister. This firsthand experience played a role in developing his worldview,
in which he saw Western culture’s driving force as members of the corporate
elite who didn’t care about the average citizen.
After attending a church sermon with a friend and watching in horror
as families involved in the Christian Right movement frenziedly burned
rock ’n’ roll albums, Aaron viewed religion as a tool with which the
prevailing powers could propagandize and keep the masses docile. This
experience had a profound effect on a young Aaron, creating a flashbulb
memory that fed both his budding antiestablishment attitude and his
interest in music, particularly punk rock. In the punk movement, Aaron
found that the “voices of dissent [had] faded away along with the hippie
movement, [and] suddenly this new wave of energized youth emerged
out of nowhere, waving their middle fingers.” His proverbial ship had
come in.

Aaron encourages friends, coworkers, and

customers to discuss Egyptian, Greek, and
Christian mythology, as well as more overtly
political issues.

10
 A Japanese mask keeps watch over customers
perusing the flash at Slave to the Needle.
Author photo

Aaron started a punk band of his own, called Blind Hatred (which had
a broken cross as a logo), and started painting his friends’ leather jackets,
drawing flyers for shows, and eventually tattooing his fellow punks. A crude
setup—which Aaron jokes caused blunt trauma and scarring to his friends
and consisted of a Walkman motor, a guitar string, and a Bic pen—was the
unconscious start to what was to become a lifelong passion.
Unfortunately, Aaron was too caught up in his rebellious lifestyle at the
time to recognize tattooing as a possible road to salvation, or at the very least
a stabilizing force. He spent time in and out of jail, living in his car when he
wasn’t locked up, and blaming the establishment—at least subconsciously—
for his predicament. In hindsight, and with the clarity that the passage of
time can bring, he has since recognized the negative feedback loop he was in.
Attracting negative attention only served to reinforce his beliefs regarding the Slave to the Needle shop exterior.
oppression inherent in “the system.” Author photo

Aaron Bell 11
 Tiki flash sheet.

Aaron is more than happy to oblige

his open-minded clients, challenging Luckily, around 1990, Aaron realized that he needed to establish himself
them to consider taboo or seldom- on a more positive path. He met the woman who was to become his wife, and
discussed topics. they agreed to leave behind the toxic environment in which they were living,
traveling as far north along the coast as possible while remaining within the
United States and settling in Seattle. They both got clean and sober, and
Aaron found himself becoming more insightful in regards to his worldview,
replacing rebellious rage with introspection.
Almost accidentally, Aaron was reintroduced to the art of tattooing.
A shop opened up next door to his apartment in Seattle, and he began to
silkscreen shirts for the shop, a skill he had developed in SoCal when he
briefly wholesaled his own punk rock and tattoo-inspired clothing line.
He started getting tattooed by the shop owner, and before he knew it, Aaron
had an apprenticeship.
After mere weeks of making needles, Aaron found himself doing his first
tattoo on a client. He dove into his new profession head first, admittedly
somewhat blindly, unaware of any limitations and overstepping many
boundaries. But he learned from his mistakes, and his enthusiasm led him to
develop a deep appreciation of the art and a solid style.
And even in his style, the fire of rebellion burns within Aaron. He has a
passion for the Japanese aesthetic, which, virtually unchanged for centuries, has
a rich history and a deep pool of images to choose from. But it is also a style
founded in subversion, as the Shogunate rulers forbade tattooing, and because
of its outlaw status, much of its imagery contains hidden or subversive meaning.

12
 Japanese-inspired pirate flash sheet.

It is also based in Shintoism, a native Japanese religion that espouses

worship of the forces of nature—a practice, Aaron says, “that we have turned Aaron’s SoCal background sometimes
away from and ecologists warn will have devastating consequences. . . . The comes through in his art.
ancients knew that symbols were a powerful form of magic.” By tattooing
clients with his personal twist on these symbolic images, Aaron says that he’s
“spreading a bit of magic and ancient wisdom.”
By the mid-1990s, Aaron had established a solid clientele, tattooed his
peers from within the tattoo world, and presented seminars at conventions.
He suddenly realized that he’d reached a level of success he couldn’t possibly
have imagined in his younger years.
But with success comes responsibility, and Aaron began to feel the
pressure of having to live up to others’ expectations. His response to that
inner challenge was to forge ahead and continue to develop both his craft
and his philosophy.
Aaron has found that because tattooing in Western society has
evolved as a countercultural practice, many customers enter his shop
seeking out alternative thinkers, or what he calls “rebels against
consensus reality.” Some even appear to be waiting for a cue that it’s
safe to express views they might normally repress. Aaron is more than
happy to oblige his open-minded clients, challenging them to consider
taboo or seldom-discussed topics, sending them on their way with not
only a fresh perspective, but with a fresh piece of art indelibly etched
into their beings.

Aaron Bell 13
 Aaron has a passion for Japanese
culture, which has a deep pool of images
to choose from, including the legend of
Princess Tamatori.

By tattooing clients with his personal twist on ancient Japanese images, Aaron believes that he’s
“spreading a bit of magic and ancient wisdom.”

At the Slave to the Needle, topics of discussion—like the art itself—can vary widely.

14
Aaron explains that the Japanese style is
founded in subversion, as the Shogunate
rulers forbade tattooing. Because of its
outlaw status, much of its imagery contains
hidden or subversive meaning.

Aaron Bell 15
 CHAPTER 2

Bugs
Los Angeles, USA
How many people would turn their backs on professional and financial
stability in order to seek out personal happiness and freedom
and to take on the task of innovating their chosen field?

That’s just what Bugs did when he abruptly stopped doing the Celtic style of tattooing
that he was known for. Though he had become the go-to person for custom Celtic work,
when he saw other people start doing Celtic and sensed that it would become a trend in
tattooing, he felt he didn’t want to be a part of the commercialization of the style he’d
helped popularize.
Bugs had also begun to feel a bit trapped by the overwhelming black-and-white
nature of Celtic design work. He felt there was much left in tattooing for him to discover,
but that by focusing on monochromatic images he was limiting himself. He decided to
radically change his style.
The only way for Bugs to transition from past to future was to stop doing Celtic cold
turkey. But his artistic transformation didn’t happen overnight. In fact, it took some time
for him to discover his next step. Coming from the generation of tattooists who had tried
to push beyond what was considered traditional in tattooing, Bugs was loath to return to
any of those styles. He decided to distance himself from the pack, figuring that if he was
going to tattoo for the rest of his life, he didn’t want to be forced into a style he didn’t care
for. For inspiration, he looked back to his years in art school studying graphic design. He
dabbled in shading and graphic work, pushing himself in different directions.
Bugs’s discovery of cubism as a potential for tattooing came almost accidentally
when a client hesitantly asked him to re-create a cubist-style portrait done by Italian

16
17
 artist Gerardo Dottori on his skin, not thinking that Bugs would like the
image. He couldn’t have been more wrong. The portrait brought Bugs back
to some of his early art school influences: cubism, art nouveau, art deco, and
fauvism. When a photo of the finished piece wound up in a tattoo magazine,
Bugs’s phone started ringing immediately. People were drawn to the image’s
painterly style and wanted to know if he could do more work in the same
vein. An artistic spark had been lit, and Bugs knew that he’d found what he
was looking for: a new style that he could push in any direction. He began to
study his old favorites with a new eye, focusing on their use of color and how
he could apply it to tattooing.
But it wasn’t simply the technical aspects of cubism that drew Bugs in;
the revolutionary and experimental nature of the genre resonated with him
as well. Prior to the cubist movement, painting had been realistic and very
classical. The cubists broke the rules and took risks in order to push their
art in a new direction. They were unconventional innovators who separated
themselves from the masses—the avant-garde of their time.
When he started to explore cubism as a tattoo style, Bugs based his
technique directly on painting, studying artists such as Picasso. And although
he still associates his style with that genre, after fifteen years of experimentation,
he has developed an understanding and control over his work to a point
where he is able to make it truly his own. His tattoos are his personal take on
cubism, with the design and inspiration coming from within.
Bugs’s sudden about-face was quite a surprise to those who considered
his name synonymous with Celtic tattooing, including his own clients. It was
“a big question mark for people,” he recalls, and they didn’t know what to
make of it at first. Some appreciated the fresh, painterly style, while others
didn’t get it, never having seen tattoos like that before. Bugs’s new style was
an enigma.

Bugs’s artistic transformation from

Celtic didn’t happen overnight. It took
some time for him to discover his next
step. These pieces were shot at the
New York City Tattoo Convention in 1999.
Author photo

18
 Bugs keeps an eye on a client at the
2004 New York convention. Examples of
his Celtic tattoo past can be seen on his
forearm. Author photo

While some of his Celtic clients decided not to follow him into this new
territory, many did continue to come to him for his cubist-influenced work.
Bugs attributes this to the positive relationships he develops with his clients.
In fact, one client whom he tattooed for the first time nearly thirty years ago
gave Bugs the freedom to create whatever design he wanted.
This sense of freedom was always Bugs’s ultimate goal, and he feels
that making a real connection with his customers is the first step toward
the mutual understanding needed to create a relationship. It’s important to
him that potential clients understand his influences and where he’s coming
from, and he encourages them to transport themselves back to the 1920s
in order to do so. He wants to ensure that their ideas fit well with his style
and he invests time in discussing design possibilities with them, allowing
them a certain amount of guidance leading up to them letting him take over
with the final design. If the client’s vision doesn’t seem to mesh with his, he
has no qualms with directing the client to an artist whose style better suits
their ideas.

Bugs 19
 Once the go-to guy for custom Celtic
work, Bugs saw the writing on the wall
when other artists began doing Celtic.
His discovery of cubism as a potential
for tattooing came almost accidentally.
As one who refuses to limit himself, Bugs has, not surprisingly,
relocated several times during his life. His first uprooting was from his
small hometown in France to London, where he opened a small studio
and worked hard to make a name for himself, eventually employing other
tattooists under him.
But, nearly twenty years later, Bugs found himself dissatisfied. Something
seemed to be missing in his life, and he felt like his creative juices were
running on empty. He realized that his focus had shifted from the creative
process of tattooing toward the administrative side of running a business.
Bugs was burned out. He assessed his situation and decided to take another
risk, closing up shop, relocating to California, and making the conscious
decision to lead a more humble life.
Now Bugs splits his time between tattooing and painting, the two genres
that have consistently played off each other throughout his career. With a
newfound sense of independence, Bugs can now funnel all of his energies
into creating art. He has begun to dabble in sculpting in clay and has his
sights set on gallery representation.
Bugs finds that every day is a positive, new experience since he
switched gears, trading in the stressful life of a business owner for complete
artistic freedom.

20
When he started to explore cubism
as a tattoo style, Bugs studied artists
such as Picasso. After fifteen years of
experimentation, he has developed an
understanding that makes his art truly
his own.

Bugs 21
 Bugs wants to ensure that clients’ ideas fit well with his style. If the client’s vision doesn’t
seem to mesh with his, he directs them to an artist whose style better suits their ideas.

22
Bugs 23
 CHAPTER 3

Madame Chan
Berlin, Germany, and Brussels, Belgium
Madame Chan is one of a growing number of tattooists for whom tattooing
is just one of many outlets with which they express their creativity,
and for whom life itself is an artistic endeavor.

As if preordained, Chantal Henken happened upon tattooing by chance, when Jeff from
La Boucherie Moderne in Brussels offered to teach her the trade. Chantal accepted his
offer and fell in love with the medium immediately, recognizing the vast potential in the
graphic elements of tattooing as an art form.
Having been bitten by the tattoo bug, when Berit Uhlhorn from Tatau Obscur in
Berlin offered to continue her training, Chantal jumped at the chance and now holds a
residency there, as Madame Chan.
Like many multimedia artists (tattooists included), Madame Chan had an early
introduction into the art world: her grandfather worked as an architect, and her father
was a photographer. Beyond the examples they set as art professionals, they provided
the future Madam Chan with an atmosphere in which curiosity and creativity were
encouraged; there was no television set in the house, but there was an abundance of books.
The kitchen drawers were filled with crayons, and the children were encouraged to stay
busy not with chores, but by keeping their creative juices flowing by any means necessary.
The family didn’t make frequent excursions to museums or art galleries, but curiosity and
creativity were engrained in the younger generation as a part of their everyday lives.
Although she had no exposure to tattooing when she was young (the exception being
a “tattoo” Chan’s grandmother received when she accidentally got pricked on the finger
by one of her husband’s pen quills—an unplanned tattoo, but an indelible impression

24
Julien Lesur photo (julienlesur.com)

25
 Like many children from artistic families,
the future Madam Chan was provided
nonetheless), Chan was naturally drawn to the arts, in particular painting,
with an atmosphere in which curiosity
photography, and silkscreening. In high school, she specialized in the arts
and creativity were encouraged.
and went on to attend L’École de Recherche Graphique in Brussels.
Madame Chan feels that it’s a natural continuation of her education as
an artist to create and experiment, which explains her delving into various
media. She’s obsessed with colors, stating that she “thinks through colors,”
and she believes this obsession drives her urge to create. After experimenting
with drawing, painting, photography, and silkscreening, she felt she needed
a new medium. It was then that tattooing found its way to her, almost as if
delivered by the Fates.
After discovering tattooing, though, Chan didn’t turn her back on her
other artistic endeavors. She still gives them all the attention that they deserve,
and in return her multiple interests thrive on each other, inspiring what she
calls “visual habits.” When she creates in one medium, she considers how her
design would translate to another. The research she has done into new media
and pixel art, for instance, has informed her silkscreening and tattooing, and
she has found herself painting more since she started tattooing. Her various
media interests work together to create a complete and creative whole. She
does admit, however, that tattooing has been the most demanding of her time.

26
 Having found her way to tattooing almost at random, Madame Chan has
taken a bit of a reverse course in her education. She is just delving more deeply
into traditional tattoo techniques and styles and the history of tattooing,
with different tattoo artists sharing their expertise with her. At AKA, a tattoo
salon and art gallery in Berlin, for instance, Madame Chan has found that
many contemporary tattooists are mixing traditional
forms with more modern artistic aesthetics. Madame
Chan works at AKA regularly, not with the intention of
changing her style to look more traditional, but to soak
up all of the knowledge that she can to improve her
skills and make her own style more precise.
And the integration of a modern aesthetic into the
traditional medium of tattooing fits well with Madame
Chan’s artistic temperament. Although she doesn’t
feel that she has a definable style, she cites her love
of graphic design as an influence that shows through
in her work and says that her style also contains
“something quite modern and contemporary.”
Working with her clients to create designs that
express the creativity of both the collector and
the artist, Madame Chan feels that how she has
developed stylistically thus far has largely been a
result of the customer’s will. Both parties bring
equal parts to the equation: “They bring their own
ideas, pictures, and concepts, and I twist them with
my imagination,” she explains. Her mood plays a
part in conceptualizing a piece as well, combining
with her artistic influences to create unique
tattoos that satisfy both the clients’ wishes and
her own artistic desires.
Her customers also spark the desire in her to
create not only tattoo designs, but also to work
in other media. And thus her creativity comes
full circle, with the driving force behind one
influencing her experimentation in another.
True to form as one who views life as an
artistic venture, Madame Chan is greatly
influenced by artwork she sees beyond the walls
of the tattoo shop. “When I go to museums, see
exhibitions, pictures, installations,” she says,
“all of this becomes part of my inspiration.”
The integration of a modern
Perpetually driven by what she sees around
aesthetic into the traditional medium
her, Madame Chan epitomizes the essence of of tattooing fits well with Chan’s
a multimedia artist. artistic temperament.

Madame Chan 27
 After discovering tattooing, Chan didn’t turn her back on other artistic endeavors. Her multiple interests thrive on each
other, inspiring what she calls “visual habits.”

Working with her clients to create designs that express the creativity of both the collector and the artist, Chan feels that
how she has developed stylistically thus far has largely been a result of the customer’s will.

28
 Whenever Chan creates in one medium, she
considers how her design would translate
to another.

Chan is greatly influenced by artwork she sees beyond the walls of the tattoo shop.
“When I go to museums . . . all of this becomes part of my inspiration.”

Chan is obsessed with colors, stating that she “thinks through colors” and believes this obsession drives her urge to create.

Madame Chan 29
 CHAPTER 4

Mo Coppoletta
London, England
With his eye for art and design developed at an early age, and a savvy
sense of self-promotion, Mo Coppoletta has made quite a name for himself
and his London tattoo shop, The Family Business.

Growing up in Verona, Italy, with a father who was an antique dealer, Mo was
surrounded by inspirational artwork pretty much from birth. With the Catholic Church’s
omnipresence in his home country, it seems only natural that Mo has always been drawn
to iconographic images, but he has also developed interests in art forms of all ilks—from
architecture to crafts to decorative arts. His openness to inspiration from any source is
obvious in both his tattoo work and the environment with which he surrounds himself
at The Family Business.
Mo tattooed very little in Italy, recognizing that London was the place to pursue
tattooing as a profession. Utilizing his connections there, he relocated at age twenty-
seven and began to pick up small tattooing jobs in his new home. With his motivation
and desire overshadowing his experience in those early years, Mo managed to sell himself
well, learning along the way. He soaked up all the technical knowledge he could, drawing
and refining his skills, knowing that a mastery of tattooing technique would lead to more
interesting and adventurous jobs.
After being tattooed regularly by Bugs, Mo eventually asked if he could work for him
at Evil from the Needle, which he did for three years before moving on to another of
London’s heavy hitters, Into You.
But, not being one born to work for others, Mo eventually opened his own shop. In
2003, he struck out on his own, establishing The Family Business.

30
Photo by Fredi Marcarini and Chris Terry from Tattooed by The Family Business/Courtesy Pavilion Books

31
 Being a business owner was an easy fit for Mo, who developed his own
business model instead of relying on what he’d witnessed at other shops. He
believes one major factor for his shop’s success is his hands-on approach.
He is very present in its daily operations and takes care of what needs to be
taken care of personally.
Another aspect of the shop that Mo tends to personally is its appearance,
The Family Business shop came together
which directly reflects his taste. Rooted in his lifelong exposure to the arts,
organically, “bit by bit, like a puzzle,”
the shop’s look and feel came together organically, “bit by bit, like a puzzle,”
Mo says. The result is a cohesive space
he says, and presents a cohesive feel because Mo’s artistic sensibility binds
reflecting Mo’s lifelong exposure to
the arts. Photo by Fredi Marcarini and
it together. Even the newly unveiled back room is in keeping with the shop,
Chris Terry from Tattooed by The Family although it is aesthetically quite different from the rest of the space.
Business/Courtesy Pavilion Books

32
 With the Catholic Church’s
omnipresence in Mo’s home country, it
seems only natural that he has always
been drawn to iconographic imagery.
Photo by Fredi Marcarini and Chris Terry
from Tattooed by The Family Business/
Courtesy Pavilion Books

Mo’s eclectic art interests have also led him to branch out into genres
beyond tattooing, including watercolors and mixed media. He has projects
focusing on drawing and design in the pipeline, and he continuously
explores other avenues of artistic expression, both on a personal level and in
collaboration with outside brands.
One such collaboration led to Mo’s largest side project to date, a book
of photographs about the shop called, naturally, The Family Business. Mo had
designed the logo for the Heartbreak public relations company and happened
to mention to the owner his vision for a book about his shop. In time, the
owner of the firm helped find the right publisher to take on the project,

Mo Coppoletta 33
 and slowly but surely the book became a reality. It was an arduous process,
with countless photo shoots and hours of editing, and Mo was right there
every step of the way.
Tired of the somewhat incestuous nature of the tattoo world, Mo sought
out professionals from outside of that world to work on the book, and he
looked to create a piece of art that anyone would be able to appreciate. He
The reputation of The Family Business
assembled a group of amazing photographers and design professionals
speaks for itself. Its stable of world- whose flawless production amounted to a beautiful business card for Mo
class tattooists includes Dom Holmes, and the shop.
seen here in the background. Photo But the reputation of The Family Business speaks for itself; it’s a very
by Fredi Marcarini and Chris Terry high-quality shop that caters to just about anyone’s tattoo desires. Because of
from Tattooed by The Family Business/ the need to satisfy the various requests of his customers, Mo considers skill
Courtesy Pavilion Books over any single style when welcoming new tattooists. The result is an eclectic
mix of styles of the highest skill level.
In this way, too, the shop reflects Mo’s own sensibilities. Believing that
your personality comes through best when you draw what you feel, Mo
refuses to pigeonhole himself stylistically. Drawing from Western, tribal, and
Asian icons, Mo has created what can be considered an unintentional style
formed from his personal tastes. And his explorations of artistic media other
than tattooing play a large role in how his tastes are expressed in ink.
Feeling the need to regroup after fifteen years of tattooing and nearly ten
years of owning his own shop, Mo plans to focus some of his energies on
exploring other artistic outlets, including commercial design collaborations.

34
 Though Mo plans to focus some of his
energies on other artistic outlets, he
will continue to tattoo and maintain
a hands-on role in the affairs of The
Family Business, continuing to ensure
its status as one of London’s top shops.
Photo by Fredi Marcarini and Chris Terry
from Tattooed by The Family Business/
Courtesy Pavilion Books

Not one to distance himself from his business endeavors, though, Mo will
continue to tattoo, maintain a hands-on role in managing the affairs of The
Family Business, and continue to ensure its status as one of London’s top
shops. Not too concerned with the distant future, Mo maintains a positive
and relaxed outlook, despite his jam-packed schedule, and takes things as
they come.
But where does he find the time?

Mo Coppoletta 35
 Mo’s openness to inspiration from any
source is obvious in both his tattoo
work and the environment with which
he surrounds himself at The Family
Business. Photo by Fredi Marcarini and
Chris Terry from Tattooed by The Family
Business/Courtesy Pavilion Books

Sleeves by Mo. Though drawn to

Catholic imagery, Mo refuses to
pigeonhole himself, instead delving into
Western, tribal, and Asian inspirations.
Photo by Fredi Marcarini and Chris Terry
from Tattooed by The Family Business/
Courtesy Pavilion Books

36
Sleeves by Mo. The Family Business caters to just about anyone’s
desires. Photo by Fredi Marcarini and Chris Terry from Tattooed by
The Family Business/Courtesy Pavilion Books

Mo Coppoletta 37
 CHAPTER 5

Eddie David
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
It was tattooing that caused Eddie David to embark
on an exploration of his own culture.

In fact, Eddie says that if it weren’t for tattooing, he wouldn’t know

nearly as much as he does about the Iban, the famous warrior tribe
of Borneo.
Eddie’s father was the first in his generation to leave the
traditional Iban longhouse in search of an education. He landed
a government job, and he and his family moved around a lot,
always settling in metropolitan areas.
Eddie and his siblings grew up in Kuching, Borneo’s largest
city. Completely urbanized, Eddie wasn’t particularly interested
in the Iban culture when he was young; visits to the longhouse
meant a long and uncomfortable boat trip upriver and a complete
lack of modern conveniences upon arrival.
But when Eddie’s father became involved in politics, a
steady flow of relatives in search of favors passed through
their house. It was then that Eddie saw his first tattoos.
Fascinated by the patterns, he and his siblings wanted to know
how these designs could get on your skin, and as youngsters
they would jump on their uncles, trying to pull off their tattoos.
They didn’t look painful, but when the uncles offered to tattoo

38
Author photo

39
 eight-year-old Eddie, explaining that the tattooing process was a long
one that involved five or six men holding him down, Eddie’s decision was
an easy one: No way!
Like most city kids, Eddie was expected to grow up to be an accountant
or engineer, and he did actually study accounting for about two years until
he “had enough of that shit,” as he recalls. He had always excelled at drawing
and figured that skill would eventually become something more. So when
he dropped out of business school, he found a job as an illustrator for an
architectural firm. It was there he learned valuable lessons in rendering
and painting.
But in 1995, the economy tanked, as did the construction industry, and
After being inundated with questions
about their culture while visiting a
Eddie found himself working in a gas station alongside his brother, Simon,
convention in Austria, Eddie and Simon back home in Kuching.
decided to do some research when One day, a friend brought around a tattooing machine. He’d heard Eddie
they returned to Borneo. Eddie soon could draw and wanted to know if he would tattoo him. Eddie was curious
recognized the wealth of knowledge that enough to give it a go, and that is how he fell into tattooing.
the Iban elders possessed and soaked Word spread, and it wasn’t long before someone who had seen Eddie’s
up their stories. Travelin’ Mick photo first tattoo came for one of his own. That first piece had taken so long and
was such hard work that Eddie was dubious, but with nothing better to do
with his time, he acquiesced.

40
 The bajalai is also required of anyone
who does the tattooing. The traditional
tools and method of application
are simple. The pigment is simply a
combination of soot and sugar cane
or another wetting agent. Application
is through repeated pounding of the
needles. Travelin’ Mick photo

After that, his tattooing work had a life of its own, Eddie remembers. He
struggled with it, but people kept coming to him for work; about six months
in he was obsessed. A tattoo magazine from the States was what hooked him.
Seeing the work inside, Eddie thought to himself, “Wow! Holy shit! How did
they do that?” Fifteen years later, he says, he’s still trying to figure it out.
According to Eddie, he “Jedi mind tricked” his brother Simon (who was
an illustrator for a toymaker) into joining him as a tattooist. A few years later,
after paying his sister to run the shop, she, too, began to tattoo, enduring
twofold the same apprentice abuse Simon had received from Eddie.
Eddie claims that “when you’re in the shop, you’re not family,” but he’s
found that after joining in their tattooing venture, not only are the siblings
closer than they were when they were young, but they’re all closer to their
parents as well.
A year or two after embarking on new lives as tattooists, Eddie and
Simon were invited to a convention in Austria. (The trip was the first of many
that would come to dominate the pair’s lives for years, including travels to
conventions in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium,
England, Canada, and the States.) When they were introduced as “natives

Eddie David 41
 Eddie has tattooed the bunga terung, Borneo’s
iconic flower design, on his shoulders and on the
shoulders of many clients. Travelin’ Mick photos

from Borneo,” people asked about their culture, but being city slickers without
strong cultural ties, and not wanting to, as Eddie says, “B.S. all these guys,” the
brothers decided to do some research when they returned to Borneo.
The brothers made the trip to the longhouse and were told that if they
really wanted to learn, they would have to talk to Bnghulu Legan, who
became a mentor to Eddie in all things cultural, especially tattooing. Eddie
recognized the wealth of knowledge that the Iban elders possessed and soaked
up their stories, in particular those of the women, whom Eddie believes hold
a culture together.
In Iban society, the only prerequisite to getting tattooed is the bajalai,
or journey. Traditionally, this means any journey embarked upon to
acquire knowledge or wealth, for example traveling for work, visiting
another longhouse, hopping a plane for a vacation, or, in the past, going on
headhunting expeditions.
Eddie explains that the bajalai requirement for tattooing has its roots in the
days when the Iban invaded Sarawak and subjugated its original inhabitants,
the Penan, for use as trackers and guides. Iban men were taken with the
Penan—and tattooed by them. When the Iban men returned home with their
exotic tattoos, they were seen as heroes. Because the Iban travels involved
danger and adventure, tradition evolved that tattoos were not performed on
anyone who hadn’t faced similar peril.
The bajalai is also required of anyone who does the tattooing, and
instruction comes through observation. According to Eddie, the traditional
tools and method of application are simple. Most people with a basis in carving
can make the tools at home, and the pigment is simply a combination of soot
and sugar cane or another wetting agent. Application is through repeated
pounding of the needles.

42
 In Iban society, the only
prerequisite to getting tattooed
is the bajalai, any journey
embarked upon to acquire
knowledge or wealth, whether
visiting another longhouse or
hopping a plane for a vacation.
Travelin’ Mick photos

In this egalitarian society, anyone who has experienced the adventure of

travel—male or female—can tattoo and be tattooed.
Having traveled extensively, Eddie is more than qualified. He
wears the bunga terung, Borneo’s iconic flower design, on his shoulders
and has tattooed many people in the traditional manner, including
westerners who undertook their own bajalai to Borneo to learn about the
indigenous culture.
Because of his travels, Eddie didn’t open a shop until 2002, preferring to
work from home. Working alongside his brother and sister, he offers an array
of styles to whoever passes through his doors.

Though Eddie struggled with his

tattooing at first, it eventually took on a
life of its own. Author photo

Eddie David 43
 CHAPTER 6

Daniel
DiMattia
Liege, Belgium
In a profession where cultural appropriation is a contentious topic,
Belgian tattooist Daniel DiMattia has been spared the barbs that have
been flung at other westerners who do tribal work.

This is due in no small part to the sense of respect with which Daniel delves into cultures
as diverse as ancient Assyria, Persia, and Greece; pre-Columbian and Moorish peoples;
and those from Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Islands, finding that each culture has its own
tale to tell.
But he also has educated himself well enough to recognize which boundaries not to
cross, steering clear of Māori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) family symbols,
for example, and limiting himself to kirituhi, or skin art, that is Māori-design inspired but
devoid of cultural meaning and therefore acceptable for non-Māori.
Always looking for new patterns and designs to incorporate into his work, Daniel
looks to ornamental motifs for inspiration, such as pottery designs, fabric and tapestry
patterns, ironwork, and ancient shields. He combines these disparate patterns in a quest
to breathe life into something five thousand years old and to create a unique form of tattoo
art. A rebel at heart, Daniel feels that his way of combining source material challenges the
norm and pushes him to create outside of the box.
Daniel’s passion for art developed despite, and perhaps because of, his parents’ sense
of practicality. Having immigrated to Belgium from Italy in the 1950s in search of a better
life, Daniel’s hardworking parents saw art as extraneous. They weren’t privileged enough
to travel or visit museums or art galleries, and this dearth caused Daniel to want to break
free from the daily grind and explore art. After a year and a half at the art academy in

44
Daniel’s success as a tattooist is largely a story of overcoming obstacles and overwhelming odds.

45
 Liege, however, he felt both constricted and burnt out and left in search of
other means of educating himself.
His path to tattooing was that of someone determined to overcome all
the obstacles and overwhelming odds placed before him.
Fascinated by the rough, blue marks he saw on men’s hands and arms,
a thirteen-year-old Daniel took it upon himself to attempt his first tattoo.
It was the bold and powerful display of those men’s “worst side” that drew
him, Daniel says, so with compass and ink he tattooed on his left arm a
design that gave him the confidence that he hadn’t yet felt at that young age.

In a profession where cultural

appropriation is a contentious topic,
Daniel has educated himself to
recognize which boundaries not to
cross, limiting himself to designs devoid
of cultural or familial import.

46
 Client demands have spurred Daniel’s
exploration of styles, including dotwork.

What he drew was a series of big dots forming a cross with a box underneath
containing another large dot.
Dabbling in various forms of artistic expression, and going where the
wind blows, Daniel found himself in Stockholm a decade after tattooing
himself for the first time. It was there that, as he says, “the most incredible
thing happened.” For the first time in his life, he saw a full sleeve, complete
with fine lines and shading. In the pre-Internet ’80s, with very few tattoo
magazines and having come from a country with an almost nonexistent
tattoo scene, Daniel saw this as a defining moment in his life. He knew he
wanted to learn how to tattoo and make a living with the drawing skills he
had developed over the years.
He approached the tattooist who had done the man’s sleeve, asking
for an apprenticeship, and was politely rebuffed. Daniel realized that if
he was serious about becoming a tattooist, he would have to do it on
his own.
Daniel had no idea where to turn, but he certainly did not lack motivation.
He saw it as a matter of survival to learn to tattoo, and he says he had the
drive “to do something that I would be proud of and would give me the
financial security to feel safe.”

Daniel DiMattia 47
 Daniel works a convention in 2006.

Back at home, he was unable to find anyone to help him on his quest,
but he did uncover some books and magazines that contained ads for tattoo
equipment. One ad caught his eye immediately. It was for a starter kit that
contained everything a fledgling tattooist would need. The only catch was
that the company was located in New York.
Undaunted, Daniel set out on a mission that would change his life forever:
He traveled to New York City in search of the company. Renting a room on
Staten Island, he took the ferry to Manhattan and asked passersby where
he could locate the address he had copied from the ad. As it turned out, the
company was located upstate, three hours away. Instead of making the trek,
Daniel called and was told he could have ordered the kit from Belgium using
a credit card.

48
 Having come this far, Daniel refused to be disheartened and decided to
find a tattooist in New York City. Unfortunately (and surprisingly) tattooing
was still illegal and very underground in the city at that time, and Daniel
suffered strike two on his mission.
A less determined soul would have thrown in the towel at that point, but
Daniel retuned to Belgium, got himself a credit card, and ordered his first
tattoo kit.
Trying to become a tattooist in Belgium in the ’80s was no easy task.
According to Daniel, “You had to put yourself out there and pretty much
do everything by yourself.” Being his own apprentice, he sowed the seeds
of his future shop, Calypso Tattoo, by tattooing out of his apartment and
reproducing every kind of flash imaginable, from unicorns to dragons.
But then the neotraditional style hit Liege’s punk scene, and a lot of
Daniel’s friends started coming to him for blackwork. Daniel felt enough
confidence in his technical abilities to delve into the style, and, in fact, found
that it intrigued him. He felt challenged to personalize it and bring a new
dimension to it.

Becoming a tattooist in Belgium during

the 1980s was no small task. “You had
to put yourself out there and pretty
much do everything by yourself,”
Daniel recalls.

Daniel DiMattia 49
 It wasn’t long before Daniel began submitting his blackwork pieces at
convention competitions and winning. The magazines took notice and began
to publish photos of his work. The recognition allowed him to focus on
developing his style, and he began to travel the world, showcasing his work.
As unique expressions, each of Daniel’s
pieces demands a great deal of artistic He converted his apartment into a tattoo studio, which still exists today.
and technical creativity. Author photo

50
 The arrival of neotraditional on Liege’s
punk scene led Daniel to delve into the
style, which he’s since personalized.
Atom photos

As Daniel constantly seeks new sources of inspiration, his work also

evolves with the demands of his clients. He has explored the dotwork style,
as well as Indian-inspired designs, whose femininity and fluidity attracted his
attention. He has even used a single color (red) in some pieces and doesn’t
discount the possibility of more color explorations, allowing himself to be
guided and influenced by his clients’ desires.
He has found that even people who aren’t attracted to tribal work
appreciate the amount of thought and effort that goes into his work.

Daniel DiMattia 51
 Indigenous Tattooing:
Three Views of Samoa
Around the world there is concern for the disappearance
of indigenous forms of tattooing.

Some cultures have already lost their traditional tattooing, while others are on the brink
of losing theirs. The reasons include colonization, religious and governmental repression,
and, most recently, westernization.

The issue of indigenous tattooing can be a contentious one. It’s clear that different people have
different views on how best to ensure its future. Author photo

52
 Tatau by Su’a family. Author photo

As the following three chapters illustrate, the issue of indigenous tattooing

can be a contentious one, with the conflict extending to people’s efforts to
keep these traditions alive. As more questions arise, it becomes clear that
different people have different views on how best to ensure the future of
indigenous tattooing.
With westernization currently damaging traditional ways of life, drawing
the younger generation into modernized urban areas and away from rural
Tatau by Su’a Sulu’ape Petelo. Samoa
ones, oftentimes an interest in a culture’s tattooing comes from outsiders. This
has a long, unbroken history of tattooing.
begs the question: Can, or should, outsiders play a role in maintaining cultural
Author photo
traditions, or should that be left to the people of that particular culture?
Some cultures are very open with their designs and patterns, sharing
them freely. Others have suffered long-term, systemic abuse or exploitation
at the hands of settlers and colonizers and, after resurrecting their traditional
tattooing from near extinction, guard it closely, not wishing to have yet one
more aspect of their culture stolen. Some individuals believe that traditional
tattooing should remain as it has been for centuries; others believe that any
art form must adapt in order to survive.
Samoa has a long, unbroken history of tattooing. It has managed to
survive despite colonization and a major influx of Christianity. The following
pages contain stories of three practitioners of Samoan tattooing who have
approached it from very different angles, ranging from the traditional to the
unorthodox. These stories serve as examples of how within one style there
can exist different attitudes and ideas and how sincerity can manifest itself
quite differently.

53
 CHAPTER 7
Su’a Sulu’ape
Alaiva’a
Petelo
Apia, Samoa
Legend has it that tattooing was brought to Samoa from Fiji
by two goddesses, Taema and Tilafaiga.

En route, as they swam, they sang a song that told of tattooing as belonging to the realm
of women. But at some point in the journey, they were distracted (various versions of the
tale offer different sources of distraction), and when they recovered, they had reversed
the intention of the song, giving men dominion over tattooing.
From these early beginnings sprang the two tattoo clans that exist today: Sa Su’a from
Upolu and Sa Tulou’ena from Savai’i.
Su’a Sulu’ape Alaiva’a Petelo (more commonly known as Sulu’ape Petelo), has his
own version of the story, however. He believes that tattooing was brought to Samoa by its
earliest settlers and that the knowledge was given to the Su’a family first. From Samoa,
he contends that tattooing spread throughout the Pacific, to places like Tahiti, Rapanui
(Easter Island), Aotearoa (New Zealand), and Hawai’i, all known for their tattoo traditions.
Sulu’ape Petelo represents the sixth generation of the Su’a clan. The ninth of twelve
children, he is the third of his brothers to carry on the tradition of tattooing.
He hadn’t intended to become a tattooist, however. Early in life, Petelo recognized
the importance of education when he witnessed adults in his community without steady
jobs or income. He obtained a college degree and embarked upon his first career, that of
a schoolteacher.
His curiosity for tattooing had already taken hold, however, and unbeknownst to
anyone, he had stolen his father’s smallest tattoo tool and started practicing without

54
Travelin’ Mick photo

55
 permission. Instead of punishing his son when he found out, Petelo’s father
encouraged him to continue tattooing.
In Samoan tattooing, the head of the clan shares his knowledge with
aspiring tattooists, gives his final blessing, and passes along the honor of
leadership to his successor. This honor has to be earned, according to Petelo,
through hard work, dedication, and “sweat.”

Historically, it was the expectation that

every Samoan male would be tattooed.
Travelin’ Mick photo

56
 Sulu’ape Petelo’s shop. Apia, Samoa,
2009. Travelin’ Mick photo
At age twenty-four, Petelo was unexpectedly honored by his father,
receiving the official blessing associated with ta tatau. Two months later,
his father died, making his blessing of Petelo’s tattooing that much more
poignant and leaving him the head of the Su’a family.
Petelo continued working as a teacher and tattooing part time until the
sudden and unexpected death of his elder brother, Paolo, in 1999. Paolo had
been a motivating force in the world of Samoan and indigenous tattooing,
and his death was a shocking blow to the community. The void left by Paolo’s
death convinced Petelo to sacrifice his teaching career and begin tattooing
full time.
As the head of the Su’a family, Petelo has accepted several apprentices
in the ways of Samoan tattooing. These trainees learn not by pencil and
paper, but through observation. For a period of two to three years, they do
nothing but watch and soak in as much knowledge as they can regarding not
only technique, but also protocol. Then comes a time when they’re put to the
test; they are given, according to Petelo, “a tattoo and a piece of skin to tattoo
on.” When the teacher is satisfied that his student has learned how to do a
tattoo correctly, he bestows his permission to tattoo upon the student.

Su’a Sulu’ape Alaiva’a Petelo 57

 Sulu’ape Petelo at a memorial service
for his brother Paolo in 2009 (above), and
with his brother Lafaele (right). Paolo
had been a motivating force in the world
of Samoan and indigenous tattooing.
Travelin’ Mick photos

58
 Once very open in accepting apprentices, Petelo has learned to be more
selective in sharing his knowledge. He turns away prospective students
who don’t have the right mindset or attributes he looks for, such as
honesty, dedication to the clan, and an ability to follow family protocol
and traditions.
Although Petelo himself is more selective about his apprentices, Samoan
restrictions on getting tattooed have relaxed a bit. In the past, the chief’s son
had first dibs, and all the other boys in the village had to wait to get tattooed
until he had received his. Now, with more and more people leaving villages
for urban areas, and leaving Samoa to live abroad, there is more freedom to
get tattooed when, and by whom, a person chooses.
Historically, it was the expectation that every Samoan male would receive
the pe’a, the traditional tattoo that stretches from the navel to below the
knees. His family selected a design at his birth; an adult male without a tattoo
was unheard of. Being tattooed was a rite of initiation, and without a pe’a a
boy could not be considered a man.
Samoan females had their own tattoo traditions, as well, including hand
tattoos and the malu, which covers the thighs in a delicate, lace-like pattern.
Nowadays, not every male chooses to receive a traditional pe’a, the process
being an arduous one that can take weeks of excruciating daily sessions to
complete. Many men and women do still opt to get the pe’a and malu, but it
is not uncommon for Samoans to get other types of tatau to express their
cultural pride, and for non-Samoans to seek out tattoos with traditional
Samoan designs. In fact, the armband, which has become a popular placement
for Samoan tattoo patterns, was originally developed as a type of souvenir for
Peace Corps workers stationed in Samoa.

Sulu’ape Petelo believes that everyone

“deserves every design.” Samoan
and non-Samoan clients alike receive
customized designs representing the
Su’a family. Travelin’ Mick photo

Su’a Sulu’ape Alaiva’a Petelo 59

 Petelo believes that everyone “deserves every design,” and his Samoan
and non-Samoan clients receive similar designs, all customized and all
representing the Su’a family. These contemporary designs are firmly rooted
When tattooing non-Samoans,
in very old, traditional designs, but Petelo says that “after looking at the same
Sulu’ape Petelo makes small changes
design for so many years, you get tired of looking at it.” He makes small
to the patterns while maintaining the
changes to the patterns while maintaining the integrity of the ancient designs,
integrity of the ancient designs. In this
way, the art of Samoan tattooing has
which is how the art of tattooing in Samoa has managed to adapt and survive,
survived. Here he works a convention. a tradition unbroken for centuries.
Author photo

60
Samoan females had their own tattoo traditions, including the
malu, which covers the thighs in a delicate, lace-like pattern.
Travelin’ Mick photos

The armband, which has become a popular placement for Samoan

patterns, was developed as a souvenir for Peace Corps workers
stationed in Samoa. Travelin’ Mick photo

Su’a Sulu’ape Alaiva’a Petelo 61

 CHAPTER 8

Sulu’ape
Angela
San Diego, USA
Sulu’ape Angela’s first, and lasting, impression of tattooing and tattooists
was informed by Moby Dick.

When she was a child, Angela’s mother read to her every night, and the character
Queequeg forever linked integrity and the art of the tattoo for her. At twelve, she carried
around a dog-eared issue of National Geographic that featured an article on Su’a Sulu’ape
Alaiva’a Petelo, with no way of knowing that decades later he would be the man to break
down gender barriers and pass along his knowledge to her.
Early on, Angela didn’t know that there were female tattooists at all. She had seen
Judy Parker only in books, and her firsthand experience showed her that males dominated
the profession. But she was intrigued. By the time she was fourteen, she was donning high
heels in an effort to look older, sneaking into tattoo shops, and hiding behind the racks of
flash just to catch a glimpse of the tattooists in action.
She eventually made friends with some of the tattooists she’d been watching and
began to help out in one shop. In 1993, at age nineteen, she was given the opportunity to
do her first tattoo. In an effort to be honest, she revealed to the client that his tattoo was to
be her first. He, too, revealed a secret: He had AIDS. She forged ahead, but circumstances
prevented her from picking up another tattoo machine for nearly a decade. She did,
however, continue to manage and promote the shop.
In 2000, Angela found herself in Tahiti attending a tattoo convention. It was there
that she met Su’a Sulu’ape Alaiva’a Petelo in person for the first time. Others described
him as big and scary, but Angela didn’t see that in him and approached him without

62
Jeff Davidson photo (cosmicfrogsphotography.com)

63
 hesitation. Having heard he was the best hand tapper around, she asked
Petelo if she could watch him work. She did so for hours, amazed by what
he created with his hands, and was brought back to that National Geographic
article from her youth. She didn’t know it at the time, but the way she helped
out while watching—fanning Petelo and catching the ashes as they fell from
his cigarette—was just what stretchers did on their down time. A friendship
was formed between the two, and Angela watched and helped every time their
paths crossed.
Later, at a convention in New Zealand, Angela found others convincing
her that it was taboo for women to touch traditional tattoo tools, even though
she couldn’t comprehend why that should be. Women were allowed to clean
the tools, after all. Then in one magical moment, she found herself alone
with Petelo’s tools, and they called out to her. She had seen someone who

Angela learned how to use a machine,

in part to allow her to continue to
work with her husband, Kinzie, to
develop surgical stainless-steel
hand-tap tools. Jeff Davidson photo
(cosmicfrogsphotography.com)

64
Backpieces, 2008. With her machine
experience, as well as her surgical-
steel tatau tools, Angela’s options
are endless. Jeff Davidson photo
(cosmicfrogsphotography.com)

had been gifted with an older set of Petelo’s tools handling them incorrectly
during the day and wanted to feel the proper way to hold them. Looking over
her shoulder—and with a little voice in her head crying “No!”—she picked
up the au and pretended to tap. Suddenly, she had the feeling of a child
caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She slowly turned to the doorway and
there was Petelo, staring at her blankly. With a sick feeling in her stomach,
she slowly put the tools down. Had she just cursed his tools, like everyone
had said she would? Had she just destroyed a friendship with a man she
deeply respected? Petelo simply walked away.
He didn’t speak to her for three days. One night the two of them stayed
in while the other conventioneers went out on the town. The tension was
thick and the silence deafening. Petelo finally broke it, saying “Angela, sau,”

Sulu’ape Angela 65
 Angela works to represent female
traditional tattooists, who have an often-
overlooked history. Jeff Davidson photo
(cosmicfrogsphotography.com)

telling her to come over. She sat in front of him like a little kid waiting to
be reprimanded. He said something in Samoan that she didn’t understand
and then repeated it in English: Did she want to be the one? The woman he
taught to carve the pe’a? Angela was taken aback. “Why me?” she wanted to
know. Petelo explained that Angela loved everyone and that in order to carve
the pe’a one couldn’t hate men (like some of the female tattooists he’d been
considering). A person who does tattoos that symbolize a rite of passage from
boyhood to manhood can’t have bad mana toward men. The question took
Angela only a second to contemplate: Yes!
At first, she learned like most westerners do: from a distance. But then
she realized that she needed a change in her life, and one New Year’s Day she
took a trip to Western Samoa that lasted a year and a half. While there, Angela
not only learned lessons in tattooing—stretching, cleaning tools, and issuing
healing instructions—but she also learned about the culture.
It was a challenge to immerse herself a world so completely different from
what she was used to. It also impressed upon her just how much Americans
take for granted. As a single woman, she bunked with the children. She
washed her clothes on a rock. She dealt with a lack of running water.

66
 Angela also saw systemic differences—in education, for instance. And in
gender roles. She found that the best conversations were with older men
in the village, many of whom were educated and had traveled abroad. But
she was careful not to strike up those conversations too often, since it was
unusual for the sexes to commingle openly.
Her unusual status as a female apprentice in a male-dominated world did
allow her to be treated as an exception at times. Although she sat with the
women in social situations, she was taught by men. And although her role
was out of the ordinary—because Su’a Sulu’ape Alaiva’a Petelo, whose family
has tattooed for five thousand years, had chosen to teach her—she found that
no one in Samoa had a problem with her learning how to tattoo.
Angela did encounter resistance outside Samoa, however, from those
who insist that it’s taboo for women to tattoo. But with the blessing of
her teacher (“You are the first woman. If you can tap it, birth it.”), Angela
respectfully represents female traditional tattooists, who have an often-
overlooked history.
Upon returning to the States, Angela learned how to use a machine,
partly to develop her overall tattooing skills, but also to allow her to continue
to work with her husband, Kinzie, to develop surgical stainless-steel hand-
tap tools that complied with health department codes. It took two years to
perfect them, but now Sulu’ape Angela is unlimited in her options: she can
enjoy doing color tattoos by machine or with her new tatau tools to follow the
traditions taught to her in Samoa.

Angela and Su’a Sulu’ape Alaiva’a

Petelo in Samoa. Author photo

Sulu’ape Angela 67
 CHAPTER 9

Brent McCown
Carinthia, Austria
Brent McCown entered the house of Samoan tattooing
through the proverbial back door.

A non-Samoan (his heritage is Māori and Chinese) who learned how to do tatau
from a self-taught tattooist, Brent has taken quite an unorthodox approach to this
traditional art.
Brent had already been doing machine work for more than twelve years when a
Samoan tattooist approached him, interested in learning how to utilize the machine for
designs that are traditionally hand tapped. Initially, Brent wasn’t interested in learning
tatau himself; he simply took the opportunity to share some knowledge about his craft
and sterilization methods, the latter of which were lacking in Samoan tattooing due
to the natural materials used, such as bone and wood. But when he was asked to assist in
the making of traditional tools, something inside him clicked.
Like any tattooist trained in the Samoan style, Brent started out stretching customers’
skin while they were being hand tapped. Then he progressed to filling in the heavier black
areas and then moved on to doing malu, the female leg tattoo that consists of recurring
starlike patterns rather than linear components.
Despite the normality of his progression, Brent got a lot of grief in those early days,
not necessarily from the tattooists within the families themselves, but rather from other
outsiders who had been granted tools and titles from the families. It was as if these titled
tattooists were trying to protect their inner circle; without a title himself, Brent was
definitely not accepted within that circle.

68
Herbert Wieser photo (themenladen.at)

69
 Reticent at first, Brent eventually was
attracted by the fluidity of tatau designs.
Coming from a culture with a tattoo tradition of its own, Brent was just
Herbert Wieser photo (themenladen.at),
drawn to a different culture’s traditional style of tattooing. Why? One major
above; Travelin’ Mick photo, below
difference between the Māori and Samoan styles is that for a period in the
early to mid-twentieth century, Māori tattooing was all but lost, whereas
Samoan tattooing has an unbroken lineage that has survived and adapted.
While Brent respects the old ways, he finds development and progression of
the utmost importance. While contemporary Māori tattooists are working to
revive and rediscover their traditions, Samoan tattooing has managed to stay
fluid and alive.
With his belief that “a straight line is dangerous,” it was the fluidity of
Samoan designs, and the willingness to experiment, that really drew Brent
in to tatau. While remaining within the framework of tradition, Brent feels
that tatau has undergone some radical, yet subtle, transformations over the
years. For example, the traditional male tattoo, the pe’a, which Brent calls
the “purest form of Pacific tattoo,” has evolved stylistically since the 1970s
instead of staying static. And in realizing some of the limitations of the pe’a
and malu—with the amount of dedicated time and pain both require—one
of the tattoo families created Samoan-style arm and leg bands in the 1980s
as a way for people to maintain a connection to the island without having to
undergo such an intense procedure. Brent feels that changes like these are
integral to tatau’s continued existence as a living art form.

70
Brent believes “a straight line is
dangerous.” Herbert Wieser photos
(themenladen.at)

Brent McCown 71
 Brent himself experiments in traditional Pacific Island designs with
a modern twist, such as Samoan patterns incorporated into full sleeves
Initially, Brent wasn’t interested when
and backpieces—very nontraditional placement for such patterns. He has
approached by a Samoan offering to
found with his recent relocation to Austria that Europeans are very open
teach him tatau. Instead, he took the
to experimentation, which allows him more creative freedom than he
opportunity to share knowledge about
machine work and sterilization methods.
had at home, where people tended to stick within the accepted traditions.
Herbert Wieser photos (themenladen.at)

72
 Brent experiments in traditional Pacific
Island designs with a modern twist,
Brent finds himself combining contrasting styles from different Pacific Island
including nontraditional placements
traditions (such as both delicate and heavy patterns within the same tattoo)
Herbert Wieser photo (themenladen.at),
with beautiful results. One example is his utilization of traditional Samoan
above; Travelin’ Mick photo, below
patterns within the framework of the Hawai’ian leg stripe, which travels up
the outside of the leg from ankle to hip; he finds that the Samoan patterning
brings more detail to the look of the tattoo, but retains the impact of the
original Hawai’ian design.
This mixing of styles serves Brent well, as more and more customers of
mixed blood look for tattoos that combine styles particular to their heritage.
This allows Brent to create something fresh and interesting, and according
to him it opens traditional styles to the rest of the world in a way that doesn’t
“classify them as one [particular] tribe.” It allows traditional tattooing to play
the role of art form instead of cultural marking, which Brent feels will allow
it to continue to evolve—and survive.

Brent McCown 73
 A mixing of styles allows traditional
tattooing to play the role of art form
instead of cultural marking—and allows
it to continue to evolve and survive.
Herbert Wieser photos (themenladen.at)

74
 Settling into his six-hundred-year-old house in the Alps—a mountainous
and lake-strewn area that reminds him of his homeland in New Zealand—
Brent mainly entertains clients from outside of his immediate area, although
he is steadily educating his neighbors about tattooing. He still does his fair
share of machine work in a variety of styles, believing that both machine and
handwork have valuable lessons to teach.
But Brent’s passion truly lies with tatau. He makes his own hand tools,
believing that if you don’t make your own instruments you can’t really
understand your craft. After experimenting with stainless-steel tools that were
all wrong and, as he says, “looked like you were using a kitchen instrument,”
Brent has developed fully autoclaveable plastic tools that use disposable
1.2-millimeter needles. These new tools give the same effect as traditional
tools, not only with the feel, but also with the sound, as well, which Brent
finds important, believing that tatau is as much about the experience as it is
about the tattoo itself. He likens tatau to music or performance art, saying that
the “instrument should bounce in rhythm like a wave,” and the tattooists’
“hands should work like a drummer plays drums.”
Having studied tatau for nearly half of his career in tattooing, it seems
that Brent’s dedication will finally pay off with his being granted a title. Brent
hopes that this new acceptance will allow him to give back to the Samoan The reception area of Brent’s
tattooing community from which he has learned much over the years. TattooTatau studio in Carinthia, Austria.
Herbert Wieser photo (themenladen.at)

Brent McCown 75
 CHAPTER 10

Durga
Jakarta, Indonesia
Durga is in a race against time.

But despite having factors such as religious oppression and westernization working against
him, he is dedicated to reviving and perpetuating the tradition of tattooing in Indonesia.
Durga studied visual communication design at the Indonesian Institute of the Arts
in Yogyakarta, a city steeped in culture and art. It was during his college years that Durga
became more aware of tattooing as an art form. He had heard a lot about tattooing in his
younger years, during the politically tempestuous 1980s, but the illegal status of tattooing
in Indonesia had kept it taboo for most of society.
After working professionally as a graphic designer and art director for many years,
Durga had what he refers to as a midlife crisis in his thirties, when he decided to
dramatically change his life and profession. It took a few years, but eventually he was
given the opportunity to pursue a tattoo apprenticeship in another country. He continued
to develop his new trade after his apprenticeship ended and he returned home.
Although trained to tattoo in the Western manner, Durga imbues his work with an
Indonesian aesthetic. Whether he’s working in solely black, black and gray, or color,
he utilizes different Indonesian tribal styles, Indonesian decorative styles, and even
Indonesian shadow puppet imagery. He is influenced by his country’s different cultures;
no matter the theme, those cultural influences come through in his work. He prefers
these as sources of inspiration over the work of other tattooists, which he tries to prevent
from allowing to influence his tattooing.

76
Refi Mascot photo

77
 Tattooing in Indonesia means city living, but Durga makes sure to escape
the concrete jungle and head to the real, green jungle a few times a month,
to reconnect with his country. He says his eyes “need to see and be in ‘the
greens’”—the rice fields, the banyan trees; he avoids the touristy areas in
favor of the true heart of Indonesia.
Since 2008, Durga has owned his own quiet, calm, and cozy shop in
Yogyakarta, and his life is reflected within the walls of his workspace. Many
people have commented that the shop looks like a museum, with a large
collection of traditional objects housed within.

Ink on paper by Durga. The dancing

Hindu deity Ganesha. Durga studied
visual arts at the Indonesian Institute of
the Arts in Yogyakarta.

Hand-tapping session, 2010. Durga fears

that the elders who carry the knowledge
of traditional tattooing will take their
wisdom with them when they pass away,
and tattooing in Indonesia will disappear
just as it has in places such as Sulawesi,
Sumatra, and Timor. Ibnu Suhar Yo photo

78
 Hand-tapping session, 2011. Durga
believes that a thirst for authenticity or
identity has motivated more Indonesian
people to become involved in reviving a
tradition that has been teetering on the
verge of extinction. Refi Mascot photo

Ink on paper by Durga depicts the

Durga’s research into traditional tattooing initially brought him to Balinese demon queen Rangda.
Borneo, where he has studied the different tattooing styles of the tribes and Durga worked as an art director for
subtribes there, including the Dayak Kenyah, Dayak Kayan, Dayan Punan, several years before pursuing a tattoo
and others. apprenticeship in his thirties.
But his curiosity about indigenous culture eventually brought him closer
to home, to the tattooing traditions of the Mentawai Islands, off the coast of
Sumatra. Travel within Indonesia can be difficult and expensive, especially
for an independently traveling non-Mentawai making excursions to Siberut
Island. But Durga has made the journey several times, living on Siberut and
learning tattooing from the sikerei (Mentawai shamans) through observation
and collaboration in the tattoo process.
Durga says that, originally, tattooing on the islands was an “identity and
a personal or communal reflection” of the people’s relationship to nature,
called arat subulungan, although there are motivational and design differences
from region to region and among clans.
However, he says, before becoming a unified country, Indonesia was
colonized by the Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, and Japanese. Imported
religions, including Islam and Christianity, wreaked havoc on traditional life
and systematically displaced or obliterated indigenous customs and religions.
In postcolonial times, the Indonesian government supported this process of
deletion with a decree in 1954 that prohibited indigenous religions, effectively
abolishing tattooing and other customs.

Durga 79
 Hand-tapping session, 2011. Durga plans
to continue researching the hand-tapping
traditions, motives, and patterns of Borneo
and Mentawai. Refi Mascot photos

According to Durga, things got even more complicated in the 1980s

under the Suharto regime. Tattooing had become inextricably linked with the
criminal underworld, and the military-based government, overwhelmed by
the evils and mischief wrought by the criminal element in Indonesia, reacted
Toraja cocks. The Toraja are an
indigenous population in Indonesia,
in an extreme fashion, enacting a shoot-on-sight extermination policy.
many of whom observe animist beliefs. In recent years, with a more open society and the ban on tattooing lifted,
Durga and a few of his like-minded westernization has drawn people away from rural areas into urban centers in
friends explore the connection between search of a modern lifestyle glamorized by a recent Western import: television.
tattooing and Indonesia’s nature-based Young Indonesians are more interested in keeping up with the proverbial
philosophical traditions. Joneses than tapping into their own cultural roots.

80
 Against these historical and contemporary odds, Durga is afraid that the
elders who carry the knowledge of traditional tattooing will take their wisdom
with them when they pass away, and tattooing in Indonesia will disappear
just like it did in countries such as Sulawesi, Sumatra, Timor, and countless
others. And it is against that fate that Durga and a few of his like-minded
friends work, exploring the connection between tattooing and Indonesia’s
nature-based philosophical traditions.
Until recently, Durga has found that most of the interest in traditional
Indonesian tattooing has come from outside the country, while the majority
of Indonesians themselves prefer Western-style tattoos. In the past few years,
however, he has seen a shift in attitude. “Many people in the big cities in
Indonesia miss the romance of the glory and beauty of indigenous cultures
and customs . . . including tattoo traditions,” he says. Durga believes that
a thirst for authenticity or identity has motivated more Indonesian people
to become involved in reviving a tradition that has been vanishing and is
teetering on the verge of extinction. There are increasing numbers of people
within the tattoo community who, like Durga, are hungry for traditional
tattoo and are spearheading the movement to keep it alive and stimulate the Ink on paper by Durga. The Hindu and
demand for traditional tattoos. Buddhist deity Saraswati is the goddess
As for his own future, Durga plans to continue researching the hand- of science, arts, and music.
tapping traditions, motives, and patterns of Borneo and Mentawai, and
exploring Indonesian art through his use of the tattoo machine.
He also hopes to expand his research and explore the eastern parts of
Indonesia in search of stories and visual proof of the regional tattooing
traditions reputed to exist there. Through his dedication, Durga may
ultimately play a part in rescuing Indonesia’s indigenous tattooing
from obscurity. Since 2008, Durga has owned his own
quiet shop in Yogyakarta.

Durga 81
 Amsterdam, 2011.

Traditional rosettes of Borneo’s Dayak Iban

and Dayak Punan peoples.

Durga is influenced by his country’s many

cultures, which come through in his work.

82
Example of the titi Gagai and Durukkat styles of handtapping derived from Sumatra’s
Metawai tribe.

Dayak shin piece.

Durga 83
 CHAPTER 11

Gakkin
Kyoto, Japan
As a tattooist living in Kyoto, the city that best represents Japan’s cultural
and historical heart, Gakkin approaches his work with an unmistakable—
and most likely unavoidable—traditional sensibility.

But Gakkin possesses the ability to give iconic motifs prevalent in Japanese art a
thoroughly modern twist. In his own words, he is creating “truly twenty-first-century
Japanese works.”
Japan’s historical imperial seat, Kyoto has been less impacted by outside influences
than most cities in the country. (Initially considered by the United States as a potential
target for the nuclear bomb, Kyoto was spared the destruction suffered by Hiroshima and
Nagasaki because of its importance as a cultural icon.) Because the city is imbued with
ancient history and traditional culture, everything there is uniquely Japanese. Therefore,
Gakkin says, “Everything can be [considered] a Japanese motif.” From the monumental
(clouds, rivers, and waves) to the minutia (insects and flowers), Gakkin finds that just
about any object can inspire. He is tuned into the everyday, always imagining how he can
transform what he sees into a tattoo design.
Having grown up in Wakayama—a small town in the countryside south of Osaka,
near mountains and the sea—Gakkin had a childhood not unlike that of a lot of young
boys around the world, playing soccer and drawing. At thirteen, he became interested in
the creative and career potential of art and decided to become a fashion designer, having
been inspired by Vivienne Westwood designs he’d seen in movies.
At age fifteen, he embarked on a journey that took him to the opposite side of the
globe, studying English as the sole exchange student in Sudbury, Ontario. That experience

84
85
 provided an insight into the world outside of Japan, but also served as an
introduction to tattooing, which would replace fashion as his professional
focus. Coming from a country where tattoos were still considered very much
taboo, the young Gakkin was impressed by the number of his Canadian
friends who had tattoos.
After returning from his travels abroad, he entered art school at eighteen,
but soon found himself bored and stopped going.
Around the same time he was parting company with formal education,
Gakkin got his first tattoo. Then he took his education into his own hands and
began tattooing friends at home. He soon realized that perhaps this particular
brand of homeschooling—complete with “shit needles” and what seemed
like an inordinate amount of blood—was not the best course of action.
Yet Gakkin could still envision himself embarking upon a successful
career as a tattooist, and, in typical rash fashion (before he had much time to
think about it), he committed to a future as a tattoo artist, directing all of his
energy into making his vision a reality.

Gakkin takes that which is simple and

realistic and makes it his own, amplifying
the color and energy of his subject.

86
 Gakkin was versed by artists in
many media.
With the impatience of one who has just discovered a new passion,
Gakkin didn’t want to waste precious time tattooing in the seclusion of his
home. He believed that his natural artistic ability and prior art training would
allow him to progress quickly, but he also realized that there was only so
much he could hope to learn and achieve on his own. He set his sights on
securing an apprenticeship.
Gakkin made a point of frequenting Chopstick Tattoo in Osaka, where
he was a client, and eventually he asked to be taken on as an apprentice. At
first, the staff turned down his overtures, but eventually his persistence and
his confidence in his own abilities paid off.

Gakkin 87
 Gakkin at work in Kyoto, 2009.
Travelin’ Mick photo

His time as an apprentice at Chopstick was enjoyable but grueling. He

found himself working fifteen-hour days, with at least six of those hours
dedicated to drawing. He may have had little time to sleep, but Gakkin
learned a lot from the artists. He received a well-rounded education in the
basics of tattooing, but he also learned lessons from painters, photographers,
and artists in several other media.

88
 Tailoring apprenticeships to the abilities and needs of the aspiring
tattooists under their tutelage, the artists at Chopstick kept apprentices on as
long as they deemed necessary. Some apprentices cracked under the stress,
and some took years to complete their apprenticeship. However, hard
work, and perhaps a modicum of luck, worked in Gakkin’s favor, and he
completed his apprenticeship in seven months.
He stayed on at Chopstick for about seven years before embarking on a
second, much more encompassing, international excursion. On this yearlong,
around-the-world adventure, he visited England, Paris, Egypt, Australia, and
the United States, tattooing along the way. This combination of business,
pleasure, and travel left a very positive, and lasting, impression on Gakkin.

In his home city of Kyoto, Gakkin is surrounded

by ancient history and traditional culture—
everything there is uniquely Japanese. He finds
that just about any object or motif can inspire.

Gakkin 89
 Upon returning to Japan, Gakkin relocated to Kyoto. The decision was
an easy one for him, being enamored with what he deems the most beautiful
city in Japan. In his new home, Gakkin joined the crew at Harizanmai Tattoo.
Surrounded by inspiration in Kyoto, Gakkin seeks to draw from everyday
life to create something new and larger than life itself. He takes that which
is simple and realistic and makes it his own, amplifying the color and energy
of his subject. In this way, he successfully draws on the history of his culture
while simultaneously pushing it into the future.
And like his art, Gakkin is constantly in flux, open to change, and
relentlessly moving forward.

Gakkin in his studio, 2011

90
Gakkin’s apprenticeship at Chopstick Tattoo
in Osaka was grueling but very formative.
He often spent upward of six hours per day
honing his chops by drawing.

Gakkin 91
 CHAPTER 12

Henning
Jørgensen
Helsingør, Denmark
Perhaps Henning Jørgensen was destined to become a tattooist.

Growing up in Copenhagen’s red-light district, he’d seen it all at a very young age—
drunks in the stairwells during his morning walks to school, hookers turning tricks in the
alleys, and the ubiquitous neighborhood tough guys covered with tattoos.
Although his granddad and uncle were tattooed, it was the guys who hung out on the
streets of Vesterbro (West Bridge) whom young Henning looked up to. Even the fifteen-
and sixteen-year-olds who had dropped out of school and spent their time hanging out
and drinking influenced Henning.
When he was thirteen, Henning’s fifteen-year-old best friend managed to get
himself tattooed. Struck by lightning, Henning rushed out the very next week and
persuaded an inebriated local tattooist to give him a tattoo as well. Unfortunately, when
he went back the following week, his fledgling obsession already having taken root, the
same tattooist had no recollection of tattooing Henning and at first refused to do so a
second time. But Henning somehow managed to talk him into it, and thus began what
would blossom into not only a full-blown case of tattoo obsession, but also a long and
successful career.
Henning learned early on how to be street smart and observant, lessons that have
lasted a lifetime. Some of the things he witnessed admittedly gave him a bit of a shock,
but the familiarity of his surroundings bred in him a certain level of comfort. The drunks
were harmless most of the time. The prostitutes were simply doing business. And the

92
Claus Schmidt photo

93
 tattooists were familiar faces. As Henning spent more and more time at the
tattoo shops, he and the tattooists even walked their dogs together.
During his teens, Henning frantically collected tattoos from a variety of
sources before discovering one artist in particular whose style he thought was
the best around. Known for more experimental tattoos than the traditional
piecemeal work most people were doing (and collecting) at the time, Cay
Platek designed and executed for Henning a rarity: a cohesive sleeve.
Henning’s loitering at the tattoo shops eventually turned into an
apprenticeship with Cay. An easy apprenticeship compared with some,
Henning progressed quickly, and in less than a year, when Cay needed
someone to tattoo at the shop, Henning was thrown into it.
It was at this shop where Henning would meet one of his biggest influences.
Legendary tattooist Mike Malone first wandered into Istedgade (the district
where Henning worked) looking for a place to call home. Cay sent Mike
over to Copenhagen’s other red-light district, Nyhavn, where he settled in at
Tattoo Sven’s quiet, traditional shop. But Mike came by often to drink beers
and regale Henning and Cay with tattoo tales, including those of Ed Hardy’s
famed backpieces. These tales planted a lot of seeds in Henning’s brain.
Henning began attending conventions with Cay in 1981. Beginning with
annual trips to England, Henning discovered different ways of approaching
classic styles, such as American and Japanese tattooing. With information
scarce in those days, even the smallest bit of technical knowledge taken away
from a convention made it all worthwhile. And, of course, exposing himself to
new people and new work made a great impression on Henning.

Early in his career, Henning was

influenced by clients requesting work
done in American styles.

94
 Henning’s travels, meeting and
exchanging ideas with tattooists outside
of Denmark, have greatly influenced his
artistic sensibilities.

Henning stayed on with Cay for four years before going to work with
tattoo legend Tattoo Ole Hansen, whose shop, opened in 1896, is the oldest
continuously operated tattoo shop in the world.
Tattoo Ole’s shop, like Tattoo Sven’s, was located in Nyhavn, right by the
harbor. Sailors would dock at Nyhavn for a stint, spending their money on
tattoos and whores. Henning stayed with Tattoo Ole for about a year, which
was like starting over with a new, strict code of conduct and an older boss
who had hobnobbed with the likes of Sailor Jerry himself.

Henning Jørgensen 95
 In the 1980s Henning found that a lot of
Western tattooists were attracted to
All along, though, Henning had his sights set elsewhere. He planned to
traditional Japanese tattoos, but that
move north and open up a shop in Helsingør, another harbor city that had yet
when they did Japanese-style tattoos
to boast any tattoo shops of its own. Ole spent his time preparing Henning
themselves, they gave them a modern
for his journey northward.
twist. At the time, it was difficult for the
average person to book an appointment
With its lax Danish liquor laws, Helsingør attracted tourists from nearby
with any of Japan’s tattoo masters. Sweden. Henning had already tattooed many of these tourists during their
trips to Copenhagen. Hoping to continue working on his established
clientele—and figuring that the constant stream of tourists would increase
his client base—in 1983 Henning took a gamble that paid off. Three decades
later, Royal Tattoo is not only thriving, but many more shops have opened up
nearby, in an area where tattooing was once rare.
Henning’s travels, meeting and exchanging ideas with tattooists outside
of Denmark, have greatly influenced his artistic sensibilities. In 1986, he first
traveled to the United States and has returned every year since. He has also
been to Australia and to Japan, where he was not only tattooed by Horiyoshi III,
but also invited to attend two conventions open only to Western tattooists.
He found that a lot of westerners, like himself, were attracted to the strength
and clean lines of traditional Japanese tattoos (bold works that held details
that could be discovered up close), but that when they did Japanese-style
tattoos themselves, they gave them a modern twist. At the time, in the 1980s,

96
it was difficult for the average person to book an appointment with any
of Japan’s tattoo masters, who specialized in very traditional tattoos. Plus,
the stigma surrounding tattoos in Japan still existed to a certain degree. It
seemed that the visiting tattooists were just what the Japanese customers
were looking for.
Early in his career, Henning was influenced by clients requesting work
done in American styles, but now with his travels and appreciation of
Japanese tattooing, it’s no surprise that he finds himself surrounded by a
cast of international tattooists at his own shop—from places like the United
States, Italy, and Brazil. New employees are often surprised at how organized
and efficiently run Royal Tattoo is. But for Henning, it’s a labor of love; he
wants his shop to reflect his passion for his profession. Henning works hard
and constantly, and he expects the same from those around him. And his
passion is infectious. One-time slackers enthusiastically push themselves to
reach Henning’s high standards.

Henning at the New York City Tattoo

Convention, 2004. Author photo

Henning Jørgensen 97
 Henning concedes that although he has accomplished some of his goals,
one should never be satisfied with that. He considers himself very fortunate
that he’s been able to develop a trust among his clients that allows him to
concentrate on Japanese suits and large-scale pieces. He feels that the path he
has traveled thus far has been a worthwhile one.

Three decades after opening, Royal

Tattoo is not only thriving, but many
more shops have opened up nearby, in
an area where tattooing was once rare.
Claus Schmidt photos

98
Henning considers himself fortunate that
he’s developed a trust among his clients that
allows him to concentrate on Japanese suits
and large-scale pieces.

Henning Jørgensen 99
 CHAPTER 13

Rory Keating
San Diego, USA
Rory Keating’s winding life path held few clues along the way
that it would eventually lead him to a career in tattooing.

The Keatings were as strait-laced as they come. His parents weren’t artistic, and he didn’t
have adventurous uncles with tattoos peeking out of their sleeves.
Born and raised in Ireland, Rory’s parents lived in Guatemala for nearly two decades
while his father set up new telegraph systems. Rory’s brother and sister grew up there, but
by the time Rory was born, the family had relocated to Boston.
Although the Keatings lived in a typical suburban American home, it was full of
Mayan artwork that they had brought with them from Central America. Inadvertently,
Rory’s parents provided him with a very early source of artistic inspiration that would
follow him throughout his life.
When Rory was twelve, the family moved back to Ireland, where the abstract Celtic art
had a great impact on his artistic sensibilities. The daydreamer in Rory envisioned a life
where he could make a living as an artist.
He wanted to attend a technical high school in Ireland to study carpentry and
metalwork, but his parents had other plans, enrolling him in an academic school instead.
Their dream for him was a normal, stable job. As Rory became old enough to contemplate
college, they set their sights on engineering; a somewhat happy medium was struck when
Rory returned to the States to study anthropology at Cornell University.
Those studies brought him back to ancient history and art, specifically studying the
Mayan and Celtic cultures.

100
Rory at the New York Tattoo Convention, 2010. Author photo

101
 Upon graduation, Rory found it impossible to find a job in his field. His
interest in carpentry, however, had led him to participate in theater in college,
where he built sets and thus discovered a viable career path. Two years after
graduating, he wound up in San Diego, building theater sets, a “very cool job
that pays very little,” he says.
While thinking about relocating to one of the three U.S. markets where
one can make a decent living in the theater, Rory picked Las Vegas over
New York and Los Angeles. His goal was to work his way from Siegfried
& Roy’s illusion department to installing and running the Cirque du
Soleil’s O, the most technically advanced production on the planet, and
retire from theater at the top. He still, however, had dreams of being a
professional artist.
However, as an artist without a medium, Rory had no focus. When he
and his wife, Gini, decided to get tattooed, he got, as he says, “all academic
and geeky” with his research. It dawned on him that tattooing might be the
medium he was searching for. When he came across Leo Zulueta’s work, his
lifelong dream started to coalesce; he wanted to be tattooed by, and learn how
to tattoo from, Leo. But he was just a carpenter; why would Leo ever teach
him anything?

Crediting Leo Zulueta for much of his

cultural training, Leo Rory has traveled
to Samoa, New Zealand, and Tahiti in
search of knowledge.

102
 The young Rory daydreamed of a life
where he could make a living as an artist.

Rory’s reputation for tribal extends

beyond Guru’s doors because he’s been
thoroughly trained, both technically
and culturally.

On Gini’s first day of getting her backpiece outlined, she and Rory hit it
off with Leo, who mentioned in passing that he was considering taking on an
apprentice. Rory’s heart almost stopped, but he kept his mouth shut because
he was terrified. As soon as he and Gini walked out of the shop, they both
turned to each other and exclaimed that they wanted the apprenticeship.
Having just started out with Siegfried & Roy, Rory was in no position to
pack up and move to Los Angeles. Gini was offered the apprenticeship, but
found she couldn’t extricate herself from her current job either. Rory gave
himself two months to tie up loose ends before the two would relocate to L.A.,
where he would apprentice and she would continue working from home.
After his apprenticeship, Rory began tattooing full time at Black Wave
while Gini apprenticed part time and continued to work part time. Although
trained by Leo in tribal tattooing, as the new guy at Black Wave, Rory got all
of the walk-ins and thus became well versed in a variety of styles.
Rory had been working at Black Wave for about two years when Gini got
a job offer. Leo encouraged her to take it, telling her that she’d never make
the kind of money they were offering by tattooing. No one was throwing
money at Rory to lure him back into set building, so the two decided to move
back to San Diego for Gini’s new job.

Rory Keating 103

 Rory at work at Guru, 2011.

Rory bounced around and eventually landed at Jade Tattoo, a shop with
an absentee owner. Rory and the other employee, Keith Nichols, took down
all the crappy flash and steered the shop in a custom direction, filling their
portfolios with the tribal work they both loved.
It wasn’t until he started working at Guru Tattoo that Rory could fully
focus on tribal work. With a full stable of tattooists specializing in different
styles, Rory is now the go-to person for tribal at Guru.
His reputation extends beyond Guru’s doors, however, because he was
Rory draws from his knowledge to thoroughly trained, both technically and culturally, by Leo. It was with Leo
piece together what he calls a “pan- that Rory first traveled to Samoa to learn firsthand about traditional tattooing.
Polynesian” style. If a potential client Rory continued on to New Zealand and Tahiti, and returned to Samoa.
wants something traditional, he declines. Although he stays away from specific designs that he knows would be
unacceptable for a westerner to tattoo, Rory has found a mixed reaction from
Pacific Islanders about his work. Some people find it the ultimate form of
respect that he has a sincere interest in learning about their culture, whereas
others view any appropriation of their designs as cultural thievery.
He finds that the supportive group is the majority, and although he
disagrees with the detractors’ point of view, he understands where it comes
from. “Being colonized and stepped on will make you pissed off at some
point,” he says.
When he is asked to do a Polynesian-style tattoo, Rory recognizes the
limitations of someone studying a culture from the outside. “Only people
from each island know the whole vocabulary of their country’s style,” he
explains. Rory draws from the vocabulary that he does possess and pieces
it together in what he calls a “pan-Polynesian” style. If a potential client,
however, wants something traditional, he declines, encouraging them to buy
a plane ticket and go straight to the source.

104
 Rory often finds that clients come to him seeking a tattoo that will express
their heritage. With many Americans having mixed heritages from countries
that don’t necessarily have traditions of tattooing, the requests create
challenges that Rory enjoys. They allow him to research other artistic media
from those cultures and combine the various elements within an existing
visual formula from a culture that has a history of tattooing. For instance, one
client received a half sleeve that combined Mexican, Hawai’ian, and Filipino
designs within the framework of a Tahitian layout.
Having come full circle, Rory now also finds himself doing a lot of Celtic
work and has a growing interest in European and Nordic designs. There isn’t
much call for Nordic tattoos in the sunny climes of SoCal, but give him any
excuse to study a new culture and its artwork, and Rory will jump on it.

With a full stable of tattooists

specializing in different styles,
Guru counts Rory as the go-to
Rory tattooing in Samoa, person for tribal.
2001. Author photo

Rory and wife Gini in Samoa, 2001. When the couple decided to get tattooed, he recalls, he got “all
academic and geeky” with his research. Author photo

Rory Keating 105

 Requests from clients wishing to express their mixed heritages allow Rory to research other artistic
media from those cultures and combine the various elements within an existing visual formula.

106
Rory Keating 107
 CHAPTER 14

Jime Litwalk
Las Vegas, USA
Jime Litwalk’s style is instantly recognizable.

His characters come straight out of a cartoon fantasy world—doe-eyed women, anthro-
pomorphized machines, and cuddly animals with just the right touch of the demented.
It may come as no surprise that Jime’s childhood dream was to work as an animator
for Disney. In fact, his mother still has an old journal in which a young Jime wrote that he
wanted to go draw for Mickey Mouse so that he could afford to buy himself a motorcycle.
That journal entry, written nearly three decades ago, neatly ties together what would
prove to be the greatest influences on Jime Litwalk’s life: his family, his art, and his love
of motor vehicles.
As long as he can remember, Jime drew. One of his earliest artistic memories involves
grabbing a marker and drawing Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo on his grandmother’s wall after
watching cartoons on television. Though his mother gave him an ass whooping for his
troubles, she and his grandmother otherwise encouraged his artistic inclinations.
Growing up in Detroit’s inner city, Jime didn’t have many career options, and most
of the kids around him gravitated (or were directed) toward practical jobs. But Jime’s
family guided him along in his artistic development, allowing him the freedom to forge
his own path.
Jime says that there aren’t “enough words in any language to express my love for my
mom.” He believes that anyone who becomes successful does so with support, and for
Jime that support came from his family, who has played a pivotal role in his journey.

108
Peter McKinnon photo (petermckinnon.com)

109
 After doing pretty much nothing but art in elementary and middle schools,
Although Detroit had always been but not delving into any one medium seriously, Jime started airbrushing
home, the offer to join the crew at Hart in high school. At the time, it was an easy way to earn some money. But,
& Huntington in Las Vegas caught Jime operating out of a tattoo shop, Jime also got his introduction to the world
in the right frame of mind for the move. of tattooing.
Peter McKinnon photo After his school day ended, he began his evening at Acme Tattoos where
(petermckinnon.com) his eyes were opened to a new world. Even though people entrusted him with
their treasured objects to airbrush, ultimately, any mistakes could be sanded
down. With skin, however, there’s no eraser. He began to view tattooing as
a different level of art—one that built bridges between people. He realized
that tattooists must feel a sense of honor being trusted to permanently mark
someone’s skin.
After airbrushing out of the tattoo shop for two years—all the time being
drawn to tattooing but fearing the responsibility it entailed—Jime started an
apprenticeship at age eighteen. And an old-school apprenticeship it was—
scrubbing floors, going grocery shopping, washing cars, doing yardwork, and
any other job Acme’s owner, Chuck Groulx, tasked him with.
Jime describes his apprenticeship as the “karate kid theory,” where
discipline and philosophy were taught simultaneously. He was privy to the
inner workings of a tattoo shop, received excellent guidance, and took baby
steps, earning everything he got. And he would do it again in a heartbeat
knowing what he does now.
At the time of his apprenticeship, tattooing still had an outlaw stigma
attached to it, and that shaped many of Jime’s views toward tattooing and
being tattooed. With limited resources available, both tattooists and their
clients were serious about their commitment. Respect had to be earned.
When Chuck and his partner at Acme had a falling out, Jime and
Chuck went on to open the short-lived Color Masters shop. Shortly after
opening, Chuck went to drop off his son before he and Jime were to leave
for a convention. Jime packed the car with their gear and waited. After hours
passed, he received a call from Chuck’s sister. There had been an accident
and she was checking to see if Jime had been with Chuck at the time. With no
way of knowing the severity of the situation, Jime thought, “Aw, he wrecked
his new car.” But the truth was much worse than that. Chuck didn’t survive
the accident.

Color is another hallmark of Jime’s work,

perhaps reflecting some of his earliest
artistic memories involving television
cartoons. Peter McKinnon photo
(petermckinnon.com)

110
 Jime believes that anyone who becomes
successful does so with support. For
Jime that support came from his family.
Peter McKinnon photo
(petermckinnon.com)

For Jime, then only twenty years old, it was devastating. In a state of shock,
he kept the shop open for another month, but not knowing the business side
of things, he was in over his head. He joined his friend Rob Wier at Magic
Touch Tattoos, where he worked for several years, learning the business
behind tattooing.
It was around that time that the new tattoo movement began, and Jime
started to feel that he had outgrown the shop. He wanted to see more of what
was happening in the world of tattooing and to push the boundaries of his
own work, so he and fellow gearhead Jeff Shea opened Electric Superstition
and hit the convention circuit. Jime learned a lot during this period, but after
six years, he and Jeff parted ways.
With the responsibility of opening another shop looming, and a baby on
the way, Jime saw the writing on the wall; it was time for him to slow down.
At the same time, he was searching for something but not knowing what
it was.

Despite the temptations in this age

of rock star tattooists, Jime doesn’t
aggrandize his role, preferring the
term “tattooist” to “tattoo artist.” Peter
McKinnon photo (petermckinnon.com)

Jime Litwalk 111

 At age eighteen, Jime started an old-
school tattoo apprenticeship at Acme
Tattoos in Detroit—scrubbing floors,
going grocery shopping, washing cars,
doing yard work, and any other job
Acme’s owner, Chuck Groulx, tasked
him with. Peter McKinnon photo
(petermckinnon.com)

It was then that he was asked to join the crew at Hart & Huntington in
Las Vegas. Jime had never entertained the idea of moving, even with all of the
traveling he had done. Detroit had always been home. But the timing was
perfect; he was in the right frame of mind to relocate and step back into the
role of employee instead of shop owner.
One of the last people you’d peg to work in a shop known for its celebrity
status and location within a casino, Jime has transitioned well. In fact, despite
the temptations in this age of rock star tattooists, Jime doesn’t aggrandize his
role, preferring the term “tattooist” to “tattoo artist.” He sees tattooing as a
service industry in which practitioners seek to not only give their clients what
they want, but also to exceed their expectations. In typical old-school style,
Jime believes that sometimes a tattoo is just a tattoo.

After he and fellow gearhead Jeff Shea

operated Electric Superstition and hit
the convention circuit for six years,
Jime was asked to join the crew at
Hart & Huntington in Las Vegas. Detroit
had always been home, but the timing
was perfect. Peter McKinnon photo
(petermckinnon.com)

112
 Jime sees tattooing as a service industry
in which practitioners seek to not only
give their clients what they want, but
also to exceed their expectations.
Author photos

Jime Litwalk’s characters come straight out of a cartoon fantasy world.

Author photos

Doe-eyed women and cuddly animals

with just the right touch of the
demented are among Jime’s hallmarks.
Author photos

Jime Litwalk 113

 CHAPTER 15

Maneko
Brasilia, Brazil
Having grown up in northeastern Brazil, the poorest and most violent part
of the country, and then settling in Brasilia, the country’s corrupt capital,
rebellion comes naturally to Manoel Neto, a.k.a. Maneko.

Corruption and inequality are inescapable realities in Brasilia, where, Maneko says, “all
the thieves they call politicians and bankers are.” Slums are within minutes of opulent
mansions, and the dichotomy is unavoidable. Maneko says he doesn’t know “how people
can deal with this shit without rebelling.”
Maneko’s life has been a bit of a dichotomy itself, although he has fared better
than the town he now calls home, blending the artistic creativity fostered in him since
childhood with a tough rebellious streak brought about by his experiences on the streets
of Brazil.
Despite growing up surrounded by poverty and violence, Maneko enjoyed his
childhood playing with the kids on the streets. Both of his parents are architects, so
the staples of their drafting kits—pens, papers, and rulers—were ever-present during
Maneko’s formative years.
Although he didn’t receive any formal art training, Maneko learned through constant
observation, always asking questions on his quest for knowledge. At age twenty-five, he
took a calligraphy course, which completely transformed his concept of lettering. By that
time, he was already well versed in pixacao, a uniquely Brazilian style of graffiti.
Maneko started out tagging the streets with the name of his gang, marking out its
territory, at the tender age of twelve. But a few years later, when he started to develop an
interest in punk rock and Brazil’s flourishing anarchist movement, his graffiti became

114
Nicolas Gomes photo

115
 Maneko started out tagging the streets imbued with a political element. According to him, expressing his political
at the tender age of twelve. But a views through graffiti was “like going out spreading the word wall to wall,
few years later he started to develop taking back the space owned by big companies that try to run our lives.”
an interest in punk rock and Brazil’s Around that same time, at age sixteen, Maneko got his first taste of
flourishing anarchist movement.
tattooing (aside from the lasting impression that a tiger inked onto a teacher’s
Nicolas Gomes photo
arm had made on him as a small child)—he won a skateboard competition,
and one of the prizes was a tattoo. Not putting much thought into the
concept of the piece, he got something just for fun. But the experience
drew him in, and in 1999 he secured an apprenticeship. Although he says
it was hard work, if given the chance to do it all over again, he’d chose the
same path.
With the advent of his tattoo career, Maneko didn’t turn his back on
pixacao, avoiding the need to transition from one art form to the other. With
one serving as an act of rebellion or vandalism and the other as his trade, the
two art forms exist simultaneously within him, conflict free. Even visually
the two are dissimilar, aside from the lettering that Maneko uses in both,
influenced by the calligraphy course he took.
When it comes to tattooing, Maneko likes to keep it traditional—bold
and clean—whether it’s traditional American, Japanese, or East L.A., the
three styles he prefers to work in. Not interested in creating a new style or
trend in tattooing, he prefers to follow the medium’s existing traditions and
focus on creating long-lasting pieces that make his clients happy.
With tattooing accounting for 80 percent of Maneko’s time (on a typical
day, he wakes up early, hits the gym, does his drawing for the day, and tattoos
from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m.), he still makes time for late-night graffiti missions

On a typical day, Maneko wakes up

early, hits the gym, does his drawing
for the day, and tattoos from 2 p.m. to
11 p.m. Nicolas Gomes photo

116
 Maneko prefers to follow tattooing’s
existing traditions and focus on creating
long-lasting pieces that make his clients
happy. Nicolas Gomes photos

Despite being a man with a legitimate career in tattooing,

Maneko still has an active political and rebellious nature
that needs outlets. One is fronting a straight-edge
hardcore band. Nicolas Gomes≈photo

either solo or with his homies. Despite being a man with a legitimate career
in tattooing, Maneko still has an active political and rebellious nature that
needs an outlet.
Another way Maneko has rebelled against social norms was in his decision
to become both vegan and straight edge, eschewing all animal products and
drugs of any sort, including alcohol.
At sixteen, he went vegan for moral and ethical reasons, not wanting to
support the cruelty and exploitation of animal-related industries.
Three years later, he went straight edge for completely different reasons.
Recently released from jail, he was faced with the realities that his alcoholic
father had left his mother to raise two young children alone, and that many
of his friends had been shot, killed, or locked up. Maneko explains that he
“started getting how the state uses drugs to neutralize the ghetto and keep
us weak, alienated, and never moving forward and overcoming the problems
in our community.” Making a positive change to set a good example for his
little brothers, Maneko says his decision to go straight edge is one he’ll “take
to [his] grave.”
The choice brought an array of reactions from others, some positive,
some negative. Maneko stood up to the negativity, however, and states that
“when you make a positive change in your life, people judge you, and you
gotta be ready for that.”

Maneko 117
 Being inclusionary by nature, Maneko works with, and hangs out with,
the positive people he has found within the tattoo scene, whether they share
his philosophy or not. With them, he learns a lot about life and says he loves
the fact that exposing himself to people with “different experiences can only
make me a better person.”
Being vegan and straight edge, Maneko finds that some kids who live
that lifestyle gravitate toward him as a tattooist who shares their beliefs. And
although he enjoys doing tattoos related to those beliefs (“I gotta tell ya, man,
I love doing edge pieces; there are no words that can describe how this shit is
important to me!” he says.), his open-mindedness extends to his clientele, as
he thrives on interacting with people who have experienced different realities
and come from backgrounds different than his.

Maneko has managed to blend the

artistic creativity fostered in him since
childhood with a tough rebellious streak
brought about by his experiences on the
streets of Brazil. Nicolas Gomes photo

118
When it comes to tattooing, Maneko likes to keep it traditional—bold and clean—whether
it’s traditional American, Japanese, or East L.A., the three styles he prefers to work in.
Nicolas Gomes photos

Although Maneko enjoys doing tattoos related

to his vegan and straight-edge beliefs, he
thrives on interacting with people who have
experienced different realities and who
come from backgrounds different than his.
Nicolas Gomes photos

Maneko 119
 CHAPTER 16

Noon
Troyes, France
French tattoo artist Noon likes to draw outside of the lines.

From his training to his approach to tattooing, he is the ultimate outsider artist.
Growing up in the poor section of Troyes, Noon was no stranger to tattoos. His
neighborhood was full of guys with prison tats, as well as tattooed gypsies who lived on
the fringes of the city. The young Noon was fascinated by the tattoos that he saw and
figured out how to hand poke his own tattoos by the age of twelve. He carried on in the
manner of homemade, hand-poked tattoos for several years.
At the time, tattooing wasn’t very developed in France, and information wasn’t exactly
forthcoming. Tattooist hopefuls couldn’t simply Google “tattoo supplies” and order their
gear on the Internet. It took a combination of luck, good timing, and knowing the right
people. Fortunately, Noon had all three. He met someone who passed along the addresses
of Mickey Sharpz and Spaulding and Rogers, and Noon made the transition from hand
poking his customers to doing machine work on them.
He was also fortunate in meeting another aspiring tattooist in the same position
he was: Lionel Fahy. Although the two lived in different cities, they were in constant
contact, sharing every new trick they discovered and each a new victory. With no one to
teach them how to tattoo, the two started with the basics, redrawing what they saw in
tattoo magazines and working on perfecting their techniques and rendering what were
considered traditional tattooing styles. Noon considers this “school” a good one and
contributes his constant seeking of new techniques to being self-taught.

120
Gaël van Dongen photo (gael-vandongen.com)

121
 Then the tattoo boom reached France, as it had the rest of the world, and
Noon felt driven to work in a way that was more personal, more indicative,
of his artistic leanings.
Just as he was experiencing this pull, he and Lionel met another tattooist,
Yann Black, who had just arrived on the scene in Paris and was trying to
develop his own style. Inspired by the freedom Yann was trying to achieve,
Noon ceased fulfilling all requests for traditional tattoos and began to work
solely in his own style. Noon was more than able to produce classic-style
tattoos, but with the market saturated with tattooists doing just that, he was
more interested in doing tattoos that were 100 percent Noon. In following
his own path, instead of translating the work of others, he was inspired to
give each of his tattoos his all and to give his hands the freedom to do what
they do best.
From the very beginning, Noon designed his tattoos specifically for
the body, playing with placement on the human form. He prefers to work
freehand, believing that the designs work vastly differently on paper than
they do on the body.
Another holdover from his formative years is the inspiration Noon derives
from French jailhouse tattoos, with their strong, bold lines and staying power.
His goal is to portray his customers’ desires in the simplest way possible, with
light renderings that are easy to wear, and he describes his tattooing style as
“a mix of French jailhouse tattoos, singular art—or art brut—[and] abstract art
inspiration combined to form some of my own sweet insanity.”

With no one to teach him and fellow

aspiring tattooist Lionel Fahy, the two set
out by redrawing what they saw in tattoo
magazines and working on perfecting
their techniques. Noon contributes his
constant seeking of new techniques to
being self-taught. Laetitia Daunay photo

A lover of art, Noon is open to a variety

of styles, and early abstract painters
such as Picasso, Georges Braques,
Juan Gris, and Kandinsky served as
points of reference for a quite a while.
Laetitia Daunay photos

122
 From the very beginning, Noon designed
his tattoos specifically for the body,
playing with placement on the human
form. Laetitia Daunay photo

For someone approaching tattooing from outside the box, it comes as

no surprise that his sources of inspiration exist outside the realm of tattoo
art. Although he has his favorite tattooists (a varied list that includes Xed Le
Head, Diego Brandi, Bugs, Kostek, Curly, Thomas Hooper, Ed Hardy, and
Daniel DiMattia, among others), he admits that their styles don’t influence
his work. A lover of art, though, Noon is open to a variety of styles, and
the early abstract painters (such as Picasso, Georges Braques, Juan Gris,
and Kandinsky) served as his points of reference for a quite a while. He is also
drawn to the works from les chats peles (Lionel Le Neouanic, Catherine Ursin,
and particularly Raynald Genneret), as well as street artists such as Koralie,
Swoon, and Os Gemeos. It is the storytelling aspect of their work that speaks
to him and influences him most heavily.
Also not surprisingly, Noon dabbles in painting and working in relief,
primarily using these media to express the forms and techniques that tattooing
can’t. Painting, though, plays a secondary role in his life, as the schedule of an
in-demand tattooist crowds out most everything else.

Noon 123
 In following his own path, instead of translating the work of others, Noon
was inspired to give his hands the freedom to do what they do best.

124
Noon’s goal is to portray his customers’ desires in the simplest way
possible, with renderings that are easy to wear.

Noon 125
 One holdover from Noon’s formative
years is the inspiration he derives
from French jailhouse tattoos,
with their strong, bold lines and
staying power.

126
Noon 127
 CHAPTER 17

Keone Nunes
Oahu, USA
Keone Nunes didn’t start tattooing to become a tattooist—
he did so to perpetuate a cultural practice.

Having grown up in Waianae, which has the highest native Hawai’ian population rate in
the state, Hawai’ian culture was always there in Keone’s upbringing. Still, when he left
home for college, he realized how much knowledge he was lacking about his own culture.
Luckily, he was able to find five teachers—elders—willing to mentor him in his
exploration of Hawai’ian culture. As his peers whiled away their time in nightclubs, Keone
spent time with the elders, learning about hula, chants, prayer, genealogy, and tattooing.
One of these elders impressed upon him the importance of genealogy in Hawai’ian
tattooing, and Keone delved into this aspect of his culture more deeply.
At the time, Keone thought the wisdom that the elders were imparting was common
knowledge. It wasn’t until years later that he realized that wasn’t the case, but that few
people, in fact, knew what he now knew—and that it had become his responsibility to
perpetuate the broad range of Hawai’ian cultural knowledge he had learned, generally,
and tattooing, specifically.
In 1990, at age thirty-three, Keone got his first tattoo and also began to tattoo. An aunt
had died nine years earlier and before she passed had given him a design she told Keone
would be appropriate for him to put on his body. He decided it was time.
Almost simultaneously, several members of his cultural dance group decided they
wanted tattoos as well, and knowing of Keone’s expertise in Hawai’ian culture and
genealogy, they asked him to make the designs for them.

128
Kapulani Landgraf photo

129
 Kandi Everett, who had done the tattooing, realized that Keone know
more about Hawai’ian tattoo design than anyone else she knew at the time.
Although she lived in the world of Western tattooing—having worked
alongside Sailor Jerry, Mike Malone, Mike Brown, and the like—she
understood the potential for Keone to manifest his knowledge in the form of
tangible artwork. She encouraged him to learn how to tattoo.
Keone started out using tattoo machines because they were his only
option at the time. But his work caught the interest of Sulu’ape Paolo, the
head of one of the Samoan tattoo families who worked solely using traditional
Samoan hand-tapping tools. Going against cultural norm as a Samoan,
Paolo was interested in reaching out to other Polynesian tattooists to help
reestablish the sound and the pride of hand-tapped tattoos.

Keone Nunes started tattooing to

perpetuate a cultural practice. He
explains that when he left home
for college, he realized how much
knowledge about his own culture he
was lacking. Kapulani Landgraf photo

130
 Keone started out using tattoo machines
because they were his only option at the
time. But after having the opportunity
to learn hand-tapping from none other
than Sulu’ape Paolo, Keone turned
his back on tattoo machines forever.
Kapulani Landgraf photo

One day, Keone received a phone call from Paolo, and the Samoan tattoo
master plied him with questions about Hawai’ian tattooing. Looking back,
Keone believes it was Paolo’s way of testing him. Apparently, he passed,
because by the end of the conversation Paolo asked if he’d like to learn how
to use hand tools.
This was exactly why Keone had gotten into tattooing—to perpetuate an
aspect of his culture—and now he was being given the opportunity to learn
how to apply tattoos not with a modern machine, but by using the method
of his ancestors.
Learning from Paolo was the ultimate experience for Keone, and he
studied with him from 1996 until Paolo’s untimely death in 1999.
After learning how to hand tap, Keone turned his back on tattoo machines
forever, staving off the seduction of the comparably easy machine work. “Try
to make a round circle tapping,” he says. “Making a straight line on a crooked
body is not easy.” To Keone, each method has its own particular mindset, and
he found it impossible to go back and forth between the two. And although
technically more challenging, Keone believed it was only right that on his
cultural journey he use the appropriate tools.
Although granted the sulu’ape title and with it the ability to do Samoan
tattoos as a member of the family, Keone focuses solely on traditional
Hawai’ian tattooing. He only uses Samoan patterns when incorporating
them into the design of a client of mixed Hawai’ian and Samoan heritage.

Keone Nunes 131

 “The sound of the tapping that
resounds in the valleys will never
be silenced again,” Keone says.
Kapulani Landgraf photo

Keone’s cousin, Keli’iokalani Teawe He also doesn’t tout his title; his motivation for studying with Paolo was not
Makua, prepares one tool of the trade. to boost up his name as a tattooist, and he humbly recognizes the gravity of
Kapulani Landgraf photo such an honor.
When Keone first started tattooing, there was very little interest in
Hawai’ian traditional tattooing, and very little was known about it. To Keone,
it’s not that the culture was lost, but it cycled very quickly, going underground
in the face of religious and political oppression. Although people may not
have openly practiced cultural traditions, however, he believes that they
retained an innate understanding of the culture, and contemporary issues
such as sovereignty and independence have caused people to turn back to
traditional practices. Hawai’ian tattoos are a way for people to make a stance
on what it means to be Hawai’ian, and “tattooing is starting to take its place
among cultural practices and have the status approaching that of what it
was traditionally,” Keone says, so much so that a person with a traditional
Hawai’ian facial tattoo can be hired as a professor at an institution like the
University of Hawai’i.

132
 “The sound of the tapping that resounds in the valleys will never be
silenced again,” Keone says. “The men and women who wear designs know
that when it’s time for them to meet their ancestors they will be smiling,
because they recognize who they are. It’s become a matter of pride again for
a people who weren’t proud of who they were thirty years ago.
“There’s an understanding when they lie down on the lauhala mat and
hear and feel the bite of tapping on skin, that’s exactly what their ancestors
felt, and there’s nothing in the world that can replicate that. Sound, feel,
smell, atmosphere, chanting.”
Keone hopes that he has played some part in bringing that experience
back to his people. Undoubtedly, he has.

“There’s an understanding when one

lies down on the lauhala mat and hears
and feels the bite of tapping on skin,”
Keone says, “that’s exactly what their
ancestors felt, and there’s nothing
in the world that can replicate that.”
Kapulani Landgraf photo

Keone Nunes 133

 “Making a straight line on a crooked body is not easy,” Keone
notes. Although hand-tapping is more challenging, Keone
believes it was only right that on his cultural journey he use
the appropriate tools. Kapulani Landgraf photo

In Hawai’i, “tattooing is starting to take

its place among cultural practices and
have the status approaching that of
what it was traditionally,” Keone says.
Kapulani Landgraf photo

134
When Keone started tattooing, very little
was known about Hawai’ian traditional
tattooing. To Keone, it’s not that the
culture was lost, but it cycled very
quickly, going underground in the face
of religious and political oppression.
Kapulani Landgraf photo

Keone Nunes 135

 CHAPTER 18

Te Rangitu
Waipapa, New Zealand
Te Rangitu has dedicated his life to his people, both on a personal level,
working with the children of his iwi (tribe), and globally, by educating
the public about the Māori, New Zealand’s indigenous people.

His hometown, Kaikohekohe (shortened to Kaikohe by the pakeha, or Europeans who

couldn’t pronounce the long Māori word), played a major role in defining Te Rangitu and
shaping his life’s path.
With a primarily Māori population, Kaikohekohe is situated about three hours north of
Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. Unlike the United States, gang and drug problems in
Aotearoa (the Māori name for New Zealand, translated as “land of the long, white cloud”)
are more prevalent in rural areas, and Kaikohekohe is no exception. Compounding (or
perhaps creating) the area’s existing gang and drug troubles is a racist attitude toward the
majority Māori population, which results in a rebellious and disaffected people with little
to no interest in education or authority.
As a child, Te Rangitu witnessed such frustrations through the experiences of his
father and then firsthand as he grew older.
Te Rangitu’s father straddled two worlds: Māori and pakeha. In the pakeha world, he
was a nobody—a postal worker who could be fired if he dared to speak his native language.
(That same, seemingly innocuous act had earned him a beating as a schoolboy, resulting
in a partially paralyzed arm.) In the Māori community, however, he was a highly regarded
rangitira (spiritual leader), a minister in the Ratana faith. And to his children, he was an
artist. The same arm that had been injured, a symbol of the repression of his people,
taught his children lessons in love and respect.

136
Georgina Netana photo

137
 As with many kids, young Te Rangitu was intrigued by the gangs and
started running with a bad crowd, one day deciding he wanted to get a tattoo
on his neck.
When he told his father, Te Rangitu didn’t get quite the reaction he was
hoping for. His father sat him down and said, “Let’s draw this up.” His son
hadn’t given the design much thought other than that he wanted it to be
tough and to express something about his home, which in his mind was
personified by the gangs. “What about your culture?” his father asked. The
thought hadn’t crossed Te Rangitu’s mind.
His father designed a beautiful piece based on the local traditions of
their iwi, or Māori people, Ngāpuhi. Te Rangitu asked what it was, and when
his father said a wood pigeon, his first reaction, typical of a child hellbent
on rebellion, was “That’s not very tough!” But, coming from a long line of
storytellers, Te Rangitu’s father explained the historical, mythological, and
spiritual importance of the lowly wood pigeon.

Te Rangitu at work in in New Zealand in

2011. Earlier in his career, he recognized
the need to educate Western tattooists
in the meanings behind Māori tattoos.
So he conferred with Māori elders
and relocated to England, where
he acted as the Māori ambassador
to the tattoo world for four years.
Georgina Netana photo

138
 Te Rangitu believes that the future of
indigenous tattooing lies in the cultures’
self-determination. He realizes that
message can get a bit lost in the chaos
of large-scale tattoo shows in the West.
Georgina Netana photo

It took Te Rangitu a while to fully understand and appreciate the gift Te Rangitu works to pass along to
that his father had given him, but now he likens it to a garden of knowledge that kids what his father gave to him: an
his father taught him to care for. understanding of their own culture

As an adult, Te Rangitu works to pass along to kids what his father gave through art. Georgina Netana photo

to him: an understanding of their own culture through art. He occasionally

teaches art classes at the local schools and tries to speak to students in a
language they can understand, using traditional artwork and patterns to get
them thinking for themselves in new and creative ways. He focuses on the
hard cases—troubled kids who have been through traumatic experiences
and for whom trust is a big issue. He tries to divert their energy away from
trouble, develop within them a sense of self-respect, and give them the tools
with which they can work to change their environments. By example alone,
he can show them that there are myriad paths their lives can take and that
their own culture can lead to many of them.
Te Rangitu encourages the children of his iwi to travel abroad, which may
sound strange coming from someone who didn’t mingle with pakeha until
he moved to their homeland, Europe. Together with Samoan tattoo master
Paolo Sulu’ape, Te Rangitu and other indigenous Pacific Island tattooists
envisioned themselves working together to spread the word of their art by
going out into the world. With a rich tattoo tradition that was being co-opted
by outsiders, the Māori had many wrongs to right, and Te Rangitu felt that
educating Western tattooists in the meanings behind Māori tattoos would be
a step in the right direction. After conferring with Māori elders, he relocated
to England and attended as many conventions as he could, acting as the
Māori ambassador to the tattoo world.

Te Rangitu 139
 Smaller shows, with a specific focus
on indigenous tattooing and education,
During his four-year stint in England, Te Rangitu met people who both
are a more efficient way of spreading
deeply appreciated his mission and those who sought to steal his designs. As
his message, Te Rangitu has found.
his own artistic vocabulary grew, he learned to appreciate European tattooing
Georgina Netana photo
traditions and the unique ways they viewed things. But on the whole, he saw
people who seemed lost and seeking direction. He had hoped that respectful
Europeans would stop tattooing traditional Māori patterns, recognizing them
as specific to a people who were struggling to survive as a culture. He had
hoped that sincere tattooists would seek out Māori tattooists to learn from
and share with.
But with modern accessibility and people more interested in making
money off Māori designs rather than learning about them, Te Rangitu began
to doubt his approach.
The sudden death of Sulu’ape Paolo left a huge hole in the world of
indigenous tattooing, and Te Rangitu felt that it was time to return home and
reassess his life mission.
He now believes that the future of indigenous tattooing lies in the cultures’
self-determination. At the large-scale tattoo shows he attended in Europe, Te
Rangitu realized that his message was a bit lost in the chaos; he is now of the
opinion that smaller shows, with a specific focus on indigenous tattooing
and education, have more of an impact. He also recognizes the importance
of having Māori representation on art councils and in art galleries dedicated
to indigenous art and artists. He feels this outreach beyond the insular world
of tattooing is also an important step in the education process, working with
like-minded people of different cultures and a variety of media in a respectful
and symbiotic manner.

140
 Te Rangitu has dedicated his life to his
people, both on a personal level, working
with the children of his iwi, and globally,
by educating the public about the Māori.
Georgina Netana photo

Te Rangitu has made it a mission to point out

that traditional Māori patterns are specific to
a people struggling to survive as a culture.
Georgina Netana photos

Te Rangitu 141
 CHAPTER 19

Hori Ryu
Vancouver, Canada Interview translated by Lance Yamazaki
Hori Ryu approaches tattooing with a sensibility very typical
of Japanese artists working in many genres.

His study of tattooing is a lifelong endeavor, just as perfecting the tea ceremony and
ikebana are for those who commit themselves to those particular arts. Hori Ryu recognizes
parallels between himself and a Japanese sushi chef, who must train up to ten years before
being considered a master. For someone training to become a tattooist in Japan, the same
holds true.
Hori Ryu’s path was atypical, however, for a Japanese artisan. Self-taught, he never
had a master to learn from. With no formal art education, he had been doing airbrushing
when some tattooist friends allowed him to try their tattoo machine. His interest was
sparked immediately. He dabbled at first, but it wasn’t long until he became serious. Self-
motivation became his instructor and he figured out on his own what he needed to learn
to improve his skills.
Hori Ryu’s familiarity with the vocabulary of Japanese tattoo imagery now runs so
deep that he requires little research in order to design a customer’s piece. Described as
a visionary by Nora, his partner in both business and life, Hori Ryu can see the finalized
tattoo in his mind and draw it from there, with very little sketching needed. When he was
younger, he would make a series of drafts leading up to his final design; now he finds he
is able to come up with an image after assessing the client’s body type, style, and general
vibe. For realistic tattoos, however, he compares what he’s drawn to real-life references to
confirm his proper representation of the subject matter.

142
Author photo

143
 According to Nora, Hori Ryu’s artistic sensibility developed organically
as a result of growing up in Japan, where art is used to describe everyday life.
The balance of nature, such as the changing of the seasons, becomes part
of the essence of the people who live there, and artwork takes its cues from
this balance. When Hori Ryu refers to himself as a Japanese tattoo artist, the
description goes beyond a mere signifier—it sums up the Japanese sensibility
and aesthetic that lives naturally within him, and that he reverently applies to
his work. But this inherent quality alone doesn’t create artists out of everyone.
Nora believes it takes a combination of experience, discovery, observation,
and unique vision to produce artists like Hori Ryu.

For Hori Ryu, the study of tattooing is

a lifelong endeavor, just as perfecting
the tea ceremony and ikebana are for
those who commit themselves to those
particular arts. Author photos

144
 Nora, Hori Tyu’s partner in business and
life, believes it takes a combination of
Hori Ryu himself firmly believes that the creative process involved
experience, discovery, observation, and
in making original artwork—as opposed to copying existing imagery—
unique vision to produce artists like him.
defines great artists. And he finds this feature lacking in today’s popular
tattoo trends.
Because of its basis in the reality of nature, Japanese artwork has its rules,
which Hori Ryu follows strictly. Every scene depicted tells a story, and those
stories must conform to nature.
In 2005, despite the success of his two shops in northern Japan, Hori
Ryu felt the need to make a major transition in his life and decided to travel
extensively, in effect embarking on a tattoo tour. With an abundance of good
tattooists in the United States from whom he felt he could draw inspiration—
like many baseball players in Japan who come to the Major Leagues to
succeed—Hori Ryu went to the United States and packed his schedule with
conventions and guest spots.

Hori Ryu 145

 Hori Ryu firmly believes that the creative
process involved in making original
artwork defines great artists. And he
finds this feature lacking in today’s
popular tattoo trends. Author photos

Translators, including Nora, have helped Hori Ryu bridge the language
barrier as well as the cultural gap. Though people around the world are
drawn to Japanese tattooing, many people are unaware of the rules by which
it’s governed. Even research can’t tell the whole story, so Hori Ryu and his
translators often find themselves educating people. For example, seasons,
flora, and fauna are not to be mixed in incongruous ways, and certain subjects
are taboo, even though they may be pervasive in other forms of Japanese art.
Popular iconography may have hidden meaning, and Hori Ryu steers clients
away from inappropriate images. At times, the tattoo design is chosen for the
client rather than the client choosing the design.
A truly dedicated artist, Hori Ryu believes that passion and pride provide
the foundation for success. As a tattooist, he is always laughing and happy,
according to Nora, but he is very serious about what he does. Without
passion, he wouldn’t be able to make a career out of tattooing. And because
of the pride and conviction he has in his own work, he feels that a piece has
to be perfect before he will tattoo it. Nora says that he would rather tattoo
constantly than have a day off, his work ethic stemming from his love of what
he does.
This balance of dedication and profound enjoyment demonstrates Hori
Ryu’s belief that you need to have a balance in your life. “Otherwise you lose
your sense of appreciation for what is important in life,” he says. For someone
who takes his profession seriously, Hori Ryu has fun with his art, following
the lead of his favorite artist, the painter Kyosai, whom Hori Ryu enjoys in
particular because he feels that he sees something new each time he looks at
a Kyosai painting, and the work is neither too serious nor too direct. And like
Hori Ryu, Kyosai had fun with his art.

146
 Sacrificing the comforts of home for a life on the road was initially difficult
for Hori Ryu, but he found a unique way to mitigate the loneliness—now
his two dogs are always by his side, whether he is at home or at work. They
provide him with a stress release, stimulate his thinking and creativity, and
help him maintain that important sense of balance.
And where does Hori Ryu call home? After intuition told him it was time
to seek stability in his life, he settled in Vancouver, British Columbia, opening
a shop there. The city reminded him of his hometown, Sendai, providing a
comforting sense of familiarity. Striking a balance between what’s healthy
and what’s manageable in life, Hori Ryu may have slowed down his tour, but
it certainly has not ended. Hori Ryu and his son, Hiromu.
Author photo

Hori Ryu 147

 Popular Japanese iconography may have hidden meaning, so Hori Ryu steers clients away from
inappropriate images. At times, the tattoo design is chosen for the client rather than vice versa.

148
Hori Ryu’s familiarity with the vocabulary of
Japanese tattoo imagery runs so deep that
he requires little research in order to design a
customer’s piece.

149
 CHAPTER 20

Zoé Thorne
Berlin, Germany
The offspring of hippie parents, Zoé Thorne spent her childhood drawing,
making music, and generally running amok.

Her parents were such bohemians that if Zoé came home one day and announced that
she intended to pursue a career in business, it would’ve been grounds for being kicked
out of their house. It therefore comes as no surprise that Zoé’s life has followed an artistic
path. But the path that ultimately led to her career as a tattooist was a long and
winding one, with many creative pit stops along the way.
Zoé started her formal art training studying fashion design in
Germany. She then relocated to New York City to study textile and
surface design and went on to receive her degree as an accessories
designer from the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology.
Her years in school taught her how to develop an idea from
initial sketch to final product and instilled in her a sense of
focus. Through her training in shoemaking and millinery, she
realized that she not only enjoyed designing, but also that
the crafting and hands-on aspects of her art were equally
important to her.
These early lessons have directly impacted Zoé’s tattooing,
and she feels that the combination of design and hands-on
application—as well as the requisite touch of psychology—has
made tattooing a perfect occupation for her.

150
Christoph Riccius photo/yorkchristophriccius.de

151
 At an early age, Zoé felt the lure of tattooing, sticking bubblegum tattoos
on her arms and playing the part of the tough guy. And although sailing ships
were her tattoo of choice, her grandfather, who was a ship’s captain, had
somehow managed to remain tattoo free. (Once her granddaughter started
collecting tattoos, Zoé’s grandma proclaimed, “I would not have married
your grandfather if he had any of those ugly tattoos.”)
Zoé started experimenting on herself with needles and India ink at age
twelve and received her first professional tattoo at fifteen. She was hooked
immediately, having received what was then considered the mark of an
outsider of society.
Despite being enamored with tattoos and tattooing, and having the
desire to learn the trade, Zoé didn’t see it as a viable occupation but rather as
something you do at home on the weekend for your friends.
Thus begun her forays in the field of fashion.
After completing her studies and putting her knowledge to work, spending
years making Mad Max–type outfits for hardcore bands and creating shoes
and handbags as a freelance designer, Zoé finally got an opportunity to
pursue tattooing as a profession when a friend of a friend was looking for an
apprentice in his tattoo shop. Zoé marched into Fantasy Tattoo in Berlin and
inquired about the position.
At first, the shop didn’t want to take on a female apprentice, but when
Zoé returned week after week and showed off her skull tattoo (which proved
that she was into the rebellious side of tattooing and didn’t simply view it as a
fashion trend), she was brought onboard. The skull tattoo may have been the
clincher—because Fantasy was located next to a motorcycle shop and skulls
were naturally standard fare for their clientele, which consisted of bikers and
housewives looking for just the right touch of outlaw.
“Tattooing is about the person wearing
the tattoo and not about me putting my
brand on them,” Zoé states.

Zoé spent six years tattooing around

the world before returning to Berlin.
The exterior of Zoés Zirkus in the
Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg area of Berlin
features paintings by artist Silke Thoss.

152
 Zoé’s sketchy and loose approach stems
from her desire to create “clear pictures
with an artsy feel.”

Zoé is known in part for a rough version

of color realism utilizing bold black
and red.

Zoé’s yearlong apprenticeship was a classic one, focused more on the

technical than the creative. Hours were spent soldering needles to get
the right configuration, while weekends were used to build machines and
mix colors. Along the way, Zoé became adept at applying thin lines, bright
colors, and soft shading.

Zoé Thorne 153

 The bright, cheery interior of
Zoés Zirkus.

Zoé’s innovative work is marked by

modern graphics, simplistic expression,
strong use of blacks.

After her apprenticeship, Zoé stayed on at Fantasy Tattoo for three

more years, cranking out the tattoos that her clients asked for—mainly flash
with the occasional tribal piece thrown in for good measure. She eventually
ventured to distant shores, spending six years tattooing around the United
States, Australia, and New Zealand. Upon returning to Berlin, she worked in
a local shop for a few years before opening a place of her own.
Developing from her early years applying flash to bikers’ flesh, Zoé now
incorporates more creativity into her work. Though she believes “tattooing
is about the person wearing the tattoo and not about me putting my brand
on them,” Zoé plays a more active role in designing the tattoos that she
produces, spending a lot of time working with clients to ensure they feel she’s
expressing their ideas and desires in ink.

154
 Zoé has also developed a unique and innovative style that she calls
“modern graphic with the thought of time passing.” The reference to passing
time is both literal, since she spends a lot of time contemplating the effects
of aging on the skin, and figurative, as she further describes her style as “a
mixture of modern influences and personal expression with a basis in the
past” and draws inspiration from both centuries-old and modern works of art.
A rough version of color realism utilizing bold black and red, Zoé’s
sketchy and loose approach to tattooing stems, as she says, from her desire
to create “clear, readable pictures with a loose and artsy feel to them.” She
employs open lines and skin highlights to give her work an overall softer
look and to preserve them over time. Having developed her individual style,
however, Zoé does like to do other types of work on occasion to stay open
to new forms of expression and prevent her own style from becoming stale.
Not surprisingly, the response to Zoé’s innovative work has been somewhat
mixed—“anywhere from all-out excited to a complete lack of understanding,”
she says. Experimenting with modern graphics, simplistic expression, strong
use of blacks, and collaged imagery is new to tattooing, but Zoé feels that as
it becomes more widespread it will also become more widely accepted.
Not one to be fenced in by public opinion or mainstream taste, Zoé
states, “A tattoo, after all, is a permanent alteration of your body and should
set you apart from everyone else. It is about making a conscious decision to
make a change to the body you have been given, and with that change setting
yourself apart with your own personal taste and expression.”

Zoé draws inspiration from both

centuries-old and modern works of art.

Zoé Thorne 155

 Zoé’s use of open lines and skin highlights gives her
work an overall softer look and helps preserve them
over time.

Zoé spends a lot of time working with clients to ensure

they feel she’s expressing their ideas and desires in
ink. This piece quotes a Danzig lyric.

156
Developing from her early days of applying
flash to bikers’ flesh, Zoé now incorporates
more creativity into her work.

Collaged imagery is new to tattooing, but Zoé

feels it will become more widely accepted.

Zoé Thorne 157

 Artist Information
Sulu’ape Angela Eddie David Jime Litwalk
Big City Tattoo Borneo Ink Massive Tattoo
2913 University Avenue 8-3. Jalan 27/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas 5320 Cameron Avenue
San Diego, CA 92104 50480 Kuala Lumpur Suite 2-4
United States Malaysia Las Vegas, NV 89118
Ph: 619-299-4868 Ph: +(6)03-2300 1151 United States
tat2inc.com borneoink.com Ph: 702-247-6132
massivetattoos.com
Aaron Bell Daniel DiMattia jimelitwalk.com
Slave to the Needle Calypso Tattoo
508 NW 65th Street 41 Rue du Pot d’Or (1st Floor) Maneko
Seattle, WA 98117 4000 Liege Goodfellas Tattoo Parlour Brasil
United States Belgium SRTVS 701 Bloco 1 Sala
Ph: 206-789-2618 Ph: +00 32 (0)4 222 0357 514 Brasilia DF
calypsotattoo.com Brazil
403 NE 45th Street Ph: +5561 33222527
Wallingford, WA 98105 Durga [email protected]
United States Durga Tattoo facebook.com/xmanoelxnetox
Ph: 206-545-3685 JL.Cikinia Raya, 37B
slavetotheneedle.com Jakarta 10330 Brent McCown
Indonesia Tattoo Tatau
Bugs Ph: 0213152478 Töbringer Strasse 13
Tattoo Lounge durgatattoo.com Landskron
12206 Venice Boulevard 9523
West Los Angeles, CA 90066 Gakkin Austria
United States Harizanmai Ph: +43 (0) 650 / 35 42 302
Ph: 818-271-0803 604-8024, Reihou-Kaikan2F tattootatau.at
bugsartwork.com 366 Kamiya-Cho, Nishikiyamati
Nakagyouku, Kyoto Noon
Madame Chan Japan boucherie-traditionnelle.com
AKA Ph: (0081) 075-256-6717
Pflügerstrasse 6 harizanmai.jp Keone Nunes
12047 Berlin Oahu, USA
Germany Henning Jørgensen
Ph: +49 30 56 73 54 22 Royal Tattoo Su’a Sulu’ape Alaiva’a Petelo
I.L. Tvedesvej 3 Apia, Samoa
Tatau Obscur 3000 Helsingør
Postdamer Strasse 93 Denmark Te Rangitu
10785 Berlin Ph: +45 4920 2770 Waipapa, New Zealand
Germany royaltattoo.com
Ph: +49 30 694 42 88 Hori Ryu
hublechat.org Rory Keating Strictly Tattoo Gallery
Guru Tattoo #2 – 3003 Kingsway
Mo Coppoletta 1122 Garnet Avenue Vancouver, BC V5R 5J6
The Family Business San Diego, CA 92109 604-558-1128
58 Exmouth Market Ph: 858-270-1070 strictlytattoo.com
EC1R 4QE London gurutattoo.com
England Zoé Thorne
Ph: +44 (0)20 7278 9526 Berlin, Germany
thefamilybusinesstattoo.com Ph: 0163 989 4134
Ph: 516-993-4362
zoethorne.com

158
Index
9/11 Truth Movement, 8 hand-tapping, 64, 68, 78–81, 83, 130–134 Peace Corps, 59, 61
Hardy, Ed, 94, 123 Penan, 43
Acme Tattoos, 110, 111 Hart & Huntington, 111, 112 Persian culture, 44
AKA, 27 Hawai’ian culture, 54, 73, 105, 128, 130–132, Petelo, Paolo, 57, 58, 130–132, 139, 140
Angela, Sulu’apa, 62–67 134, 135 Petelo, Su’a Sulu’ape, 53–61
animism, 8 Head, Xed Le, 123 Picasso, 18, 21
arat subulungan, 79 Helsingør, Denmark, 92, 96 pixacao, 114, 116
art brut, 122 Henken, Chantal, see Chan, Madame Platek, Clay, 94, 95
Assyrian culture, 44 Hiroshima, Japan, 84 pre-Columbian culture, 44
au, 65 Holmes, Dom, 34 Prohibition, 6
Auckland, New Zealand, 136 Hooper, Thomas, 123
Horiyoshi III, 96 Rangda, 79
bajalai, 41–43 Rangitu, Te, 136–141
Bell, Aaron, 8–15 ikebana, 142, 144 Ratana, 136
Berlin, Germany, 24, 27, 150, 152, 154 Indonesian Institute of the Arts, 76 Reagan, Ronald, 8
Black Wave, 103 Into You, 30 Royal Tattoo, 96–98
Black, Yann, 122 Islam, 79 Ryu, Hiromu, 7, 149
Blind Hatred, 9 iwi, 136, 138, 139, 141 Ryu, Hori, 142–149
Brandi, Diego, 123 Ryu, Nora, 142, 144–146
Braques, Georges, 122, 123 Jade Tattoo, 104
Brasilia, Brazil, 114 Jakllarta, Indonesia, 76 Sailor Jerry, 95, 130
Brown, Mike, 130 Japanese culture, 11–15, 79, 84, 86, 89, 90, 94, 96, Samoa, 52–54, 56–61, 66–68, 70, 72, 73, 75, 102,
Brussels, Belgium, 24, 26 98, 99, 116, 142, 144–147, 148, 149 104, 105, 130, 131, 139
Bugs, 16–23, 30, 123 Jørgensen, Henning, 92–99 San Diego, California, 62, 100, 102, 103
bunga terung, 42, 43 Kaikohe, New Zealand, 136 Saraswati, 81
Sarawak, 43
Calypso Tattoo, 49 Kandinsky, Wassily, 122, 123 Satanism, 8
Carinthia, Austria, 68, 75 Keating, Gini, 102, 103, 105 Seattle, Washington, 8, 12
Catholic Church, 30, 33, 36 Keating, Rory, 100–107 Sendai, Japan, 147
Celtic culture, 16, 18–20, 100, 105 kirituhi, 44 Sharpz, Mickey, 120
Chan, Madame (Chantal Henken), 24–29 Koralie, 123 Shea, Jeff, 112
Chopstick Tattoo, 87–89, 91 Kostek, 123 Shintoism, 13
Christian mythology, 8, 10, 53, 79 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 38 Shogunate rulers, 12, 15
Christian Right movement, 9 Kuching, Borneo, 38, 40 Siegfried & Roy, 102, 103
Cirque du Soleil, 102 Kyosai, 146 sikerei, 79
Color Masters, 111 Kyoto, Japan, 84, 88–90 Slave to the Needle, 8, 11, 14
Copenhagen, Denmark, 92, 94, 96 Spaulding and Rogers, 120
Coppoletta, Mo, 30–37 L’École de Recherche Graphique, 26 Stockholm, Sweden, 47
Cornell University, 100 Las Vegas, Nevada, 102, 108, 111, 112 straight edge, 117
cubism, 16, 18, 20, 21 lauhala, 133 Strictly Tattoo Gallery, 7
Curly, 123 Le Neouanic, Lionel, 123 Sudbury, Ontario, 84
Legan, Bnghulu, 42 Suharto, 80
David, Eddie, 38–43 les chats peles, 123 Sulawesi, Indonesia, 78, 81
David, Simon, 40, 42 Liege, Belgium, 44, 46, 49, 51 Swoon, 123
Dayak Iban, 38, 40–43, 82 Litwalk, Jime, 108–113
Dayak Kayan, 79 London, England, 20, 30, 35 Tamatori, Princess, 14
Dayak Kenyah, 79 Los Angeles, California, 16, 102, 103 Tatau Obscur, 24
Dayan Punan, 79, 82 tatau, 53, 57, 59, 65, 67, 68, 70, 72
Detroit, Michigan, 108, 111, 112 Magic Touch Tattoos, 112 Tattoo Ole Hansen, 95, 96
DiMattia, Daniel, 44–51 Makua, Keli’iokalani Teawe, 132 Tattoo Sven, 94, 95
Disney, 108 Malone, Mike, 94, 130 TattooTatau, 75
Dottori, Gerardo, 18 malu, 59, 61, 68, 70 Thorne, Zoé, 150–157
Durga, 76–83 mana, 66 Thoss, Silke, 152
Durukkat, 83 Maneko (Manoel Neto), 114–119 titi Gagai, 83
Māori, 44, 68, 70, 136, 138–141 Toraja, 80
Egyptian culture, 8, 10 Mayan culture, 100 Troyes, France, 120
Electric Superstition, 112 McCown, Brent, 68–75
Everett, Kandi, 130 Mentawai Islands, 79–81 Uhlhorn, Berit, 24
Evil from the Needle, 30 Moorish culture, 44 University of Hawai’i, 132
Ursin, Catherin, 123
Fahy, Lionel, 120, 122 Nagasaki, Japan, 84
Family Business, The, 30–37 Neto, Manoel, see Maneko Vancouver, British Columbia, 7, 72, 74, 147
Family Business, The, 33 New York City Tattoo Convention, 18, 19, 97, 101 Verona, Italy, 30
Fantasy Tattoo, 152, 154 New York, New York, 18, 19, 48, 49, 97, 101,
Fashion Institute of Technology, 150 102, 150 Waianae, Hawai’i, 128
Noon, 120–127 Waipapa, New Zealand, 136
Gakkin, 84–91 Nunes, Keone, 128–135 Wakayama, Japan, 84
Ganesha, 78 Westwood, Vivienne, 84
Gemeos, Os, 123 Oahu, Hawai’i, 128 Wier, Rob, 112
Genneret, Raynald, 123 Orange County, California, 8
Greek culture, 8, 10, 44 Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 76, 78, 81
Gris, Juan, 122, 123 pakeha, 136, 139
Groulx, Chuck, 110, 111 Paris, France, 89, 122 Zoés Zirkus, 152, 154
Guru, 103–105 Parker, Judy, 62 Zulueta, Leo, 102–104
pe’a, 59, 66, 70
Index 159
 Detail from Zoés Zirkus.

First published in 2012 by Voyageur Press, an imprint of MBI Publishing Digital edition: 978-1-6105-8686-3
Company, 400 First Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN
Softcover edition: 978-0-7603-4229-9
55401 USA

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

© 2012 by Voyageur Press

Rio, Dale.
All photographs are courtesy of the artists unless noted otherwise.
Planet ink : the art and studios of the world’s top tattoo artists / Dale
Rio.
All rights reserved. With the exception of quoting brief passages for
p. cm.
the purposes of review, no part of this publication may be reproduced
Summary: “Illustrated profiles of 20 tattooists from around the world”–
without prior written permission from the Publisher.
Provided by publisher.
ISBN 978-0-7603-4229-9 (hardback)
The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our 1. Tattoo artists. 2. Tattooing. I. Title.
knowledge. All recommendations are made without any guarantee on the GT2345.R558 2012
part of the author or Publisher, who also disclaims any liability incurred 391.6’5–dc23
in connection with the use of this data or specific details. 2012012518

We recognize, further, that some words, model names, and designations Front cover, top right: Interior, The Family Business. Photo by Fredi
mentioned herein are the property of the trademark holder. We use them Marcarini and Chris Terry fromTattooed by The Family Business/Courtesy
for identification purposes only. This is not an official publication. of Pavilion Books. Center: Daniel DiMattia. Courtesy of the artist. Bottom
right: Brent McCown detail. Herbert Wieser photo (themenladen.at). Bottom
Voyageur Press titles are also available at discounts in bulk quantity center: Detail of Noon tattoo. Courtesy of the artist. Bottom left: Brent
for industrial or sales-promotional use. For details write to Special McCown designing. Herbert Wieser photo (themenladen.at). Top left: Detail
Sales Manager at MBI Publishing Company, 400 First Avenue North, of Bugs tattoo.Courtesy of the artist.
Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA.
Page 1: Brent McCown detail (color). Herbert Wieser photo (themenladen.at).
To find out more about our books, visit us online at Noon detail (black and white). Laetitia Daunay photo
www.voyageurpress.com.
Page 2: Tattoo by Brent McCown. Travelin’ Mick photo
ISBN: 978-0-7603-4229-9
Page 4: Tattoo by Gakkin
Editor: Dennis Pernu
Design Manager: James Kegley Byline font Eutemia I: created by Bolt Cutter Design
Interior Design: Brad Norr, Danielle Smith
Layout: Danielle Smith Printed in China

160