We got to Montreal to meet Safwan who opened the doors of his Imago Tattoo, a multi-storey downtown building entirely dedicated to tattooing and everything that gravitates around this art. It was Safwan who started this tattoo hub 27 years ago, in 1997…
“I was very young, but at the time there were not many places to tattoo that were suitable. So I opened more out of necessity than commercial ambition. I just wanted a place where I could grow and that honoured my work ethic. I think I’ve had enough grit to stay up since then!”.
The space we’re in now is our third and most likely final location, as we bought the building. It’s a fantastic spot. Imago takes the two top floors. It’s a very spacious and bright space with an amazing view on the Mount Royal (the hill that gives its name to the city).
On the main level we’ve got our waiting room salon and our main office. On one side, past the glass wall, we have 3 of the tattooers’ work stations. On the opposite side we have a stock room, a drawing room for the tattooers and a little kitchen. All of it separated by glass and windows so we can see what’s going on.
On the top level, that we jokingly call the penthouse, we have a massive open space with 4 more permanent workstations (and a guest station), a comfortable waiting area, a consultation / photo room and my own private station. Oh and we have a rooftop terrace just for the crew to enjoy and have bbq nights in the summer!
Tattoos of various styles are done in this tattoo shop, starting with Safwan’s Neo Japanese, with dynamic backgrounds and large-scale Japanese iconography. Or Julie’s Neo Traditional (@jzel_tattoo) and Alex’s New School (@alex_d_tattoo). Kath (@duskrosetattoo) is the shop’s Realism specialist and Karl (@karlb_tattoo) focuses on a pure, minimalist style. Sophie (@sophie.robicho.tattoo) has been part of Imago for 16 years and offers a cosmetic tattoo service. She has become one of the best SMP practitioners in the country.
Without a doubt Imago is a busy and happy shop. We’re set and ready to manage everything. Most busy days, the energy is contagious and we love to ride on it. We have a good sense of camaraderie amongst us. I like to say that “Imago is a team sport”.
