Uproxx
Tattoos are becoming damn near ubiquitous these days. It’s pretty hard to think of a celebrity under 40 that doesn’t have at least one (or more). Any amount of time spent watching sports, scrolling through Instagram, or drinking at a bar, and you’re going to see some ink.
I’ve been getting tattoos since 1999. My rule is simple: I get one when I travel to a place that feels like “the right place”: Arlington, Jakarta, Bishkek. It’s a part of my travel experience and a way to memorialize a trip (or segment of my life, or maybe just a moment).
The list that follows highlights some of the artists working in the medium of tattoo with a unique aesthetic and strong visual sense. Slightly NSFW, I think… I don’t know…tattoos are tricky like that.
Okan Uçkun – Golden Arrow Street Tattoo, Istanbul, Turkey
The beauty of Okan’s tattoos lies in the geometric simplicity of his lines. There’s nothing too brash or outlandish on the surface. It’s in the understated lines that the body, math, and design combine to make truly one-of-a-kind tattoos. If you’re in Istanbul and inspired by the plethora of minarets echoing the muezzin’s haunting Adhan, then maybe Okan’s shop is worth a visit too.
NEO – NEO LOVES TATTOO, Zürich, Switzerland
“It’s like a really metal geometrical tribal snakeskin, bruh.” That’s the best way I can think to explain the intense work coming from Neo. Although Neo dabbles in the abstract and graphic novel ink, his work in full on skins is mesmerizing and iconic. Even if you’re not into getting a tattoo while touring Switzerland’s epic alps and lakes, check out his shop for some inspired art. I kinda feel like buying tickets to see Iron Maiden now.
Alice Carrier – Wonderland Tattoo, Portland, OR
Alice brings a neoclassical realism to the world of flora. Her work is deep, dark, and lush. I never thought I would want to get a plant, or tree tattooed on my body. But looking at Alice’s inspired work, I can’t wait to get a cedar, acacia, or redwood tattooed on me. There’s an abundance of tattoo options in Portlandia, Alice is one of the best. If you’re six pints deep in the City of Roses, maybe head over to Wonderland Tattoo for some inspiration and memory-making good times.
Sasha Unisex – St. Petersburg, Russia/Worldwide
Hailing from Russia, Sasha mostly works and travels the ink circuit. Her fame comes from a melding of soft water-colors and subtly cubist design into flora and fauna. They’re stunning. Sasha also leans heavily into temporary tattoo art, which allows you to try it on for size before taking the plunge. Warning, Sasha books waaaay out in advance, and usually only at tattoo conventions worldwide.
You can check out her collection and tour schedule on her site.
Chaim Machlev – DotsToLine, Berlin, Germany
Chaim’s work has a depth and movement that seems almost inexplicable. He works largely in lines. Sometimes they’re geometric, often not. Sometimes they’re talismanical, often not. The beauty of Chaim’s lines is that they move with the body and soul, kinda like Berlin itself. They’re both deceptively simple. Chaim tailors each tattoo to you. When you first meet him, you don’t just pick something. You have a conversation. Time passes as contemplation takes place. More conversations follow with ideas and art. It’s a creative experience.
Dillon Forte – Oakland, CA
Dillon’s work is best described as a blend of the tribal, geometric, and spiritual. Staying in the black, he draws these three ideas into a beautiful tapestry of design. His tattoos are taking him around the world. He travels. He designs. He tattoos. You might bump into him on the road. You might bump into him in Oakland. Either way, his art is worth consideration for your body.
Ans Pham – Saigon Ink, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Ans Pham’s work is good across the board. Where he really shines is in the realm of Eastern realism — drawing fish, animals, and mythical beasts. His tattoos feel like something you’d get while sailing around the world 200 years ago. Which is great. By keeping it (mostly) local, you get a real sense of place with Ans Pham’s tattoos. If I’m in Vietnam and get a tattoo from Ans Pham, every time I look at it I’ll be taken right back to Ho Chi Minh City in every way. And that’s worth it.
Lisa Orth – Los Angeles, CA/San Francisco, CA
Lisa is a legend in Seattle. She designed a lot for Sub Pop in the early days, including most of the Nirvana’s early album work. Lisa also is a one-off tattoo artist. She’ll design a tattoo, ink it, and that’s it. It’s yours and yours alone.
The desire to have a Lisa Orth tattoo is big. Who doesn’t want a one-of-a-kind tattoo from the woman who designed Nirvana’s logo? Here’s another artist who books out way in advance in LA and San Francisco. Her designs are rooted in lines reminiscent of old national park posters by way of the Edo period, to me anyway. They are truly unique and duplicated all over the world because of it.
Super Timor – Belgrade, Serbia
Super Timor is able to blend style and location. Soviet Realism. Central Asia. Beasts and Man. Maybe you need a tattoo from someone who grew up with communism for it to truly have a palatable depth. Timor’s tattoos have just that. An artistic thug is what his tattoos remind me of. I can’t help but think that a person with tattoos from Timor spent a long spell in a Siberian Gulag, escaped, and got a tattoo to tell the tale. Timor works out of Belgrade, and by appointment only.
Serbia is a wonderfully unique, rough, and convivial land. Timor’s tattoos fit that perfectly.
Expanded Eye – London, UK
Expanded Eye is an art duo. Their work is based on your story and their aesthetic design. It’s really one-of-a-kind work that is a little off-kilter, a little Kafka, a little Dali, a little whimsey, a little surrealism. Their pieces are conversation starters. Expanded Eye creates art in a tangible sense, that is, they are straight up artists. Then they transfer that art to your body. That’s pretty (steam) punk, even for London. Send them a story. Visit London. Get that story tattooed on your body.
Pis Saro – Sevastopol, Russia
There’s something about Pis Saro’s semi-impressionist water-color tattoos that takes you back to sunny-filled days in Crimea. The movement of waves. The billowing of the trees. The sound of birds chirping in the distance. Her tattoos are subtle and whimsical while maintaining a realism and vitality. The light pastels almost float off the body. They are beautiful. Pis is working out of Sevastopol now and touring soon.
Zachary Johnston is a director, writer, traveler, and part-time chef and mixologist. You can see for yourself on Instagram @ztp_johnston, or on Twitter@ZTPJohnston.
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