We met one of the cool tattoo artists from Barcelona’s ‘Bhorn Tattoo’ who will be engaged soon in a new adventure called ‘Mano Electrica’.
Alex, can you tell me what made you choose to become a professional tattoo artist in life?
I always thought of doing something artistic and creative for a job after school. So I decided to do an internship at a tattoo shop, just to learn some drawing skills from them. I was 15 years old back then and haven’t had the intention on this point to become a tattoo artist at all. It turned out they liked my attitude back then, so they ask me to do a proper apprenticeship in a tattoo shop in Kassel.
I was very young, that’s why I decided to do an official apprenticeship as a graphic designer as well. With 16 of age, I moved out of my parents’ house to focus on my new upcoming career. After three years of doing two apprenticeships at the same time, without actually tattooing, I became a proper freelancer at 18. It was a tough time going from studying stuff in theory, to actually working on real clients.
But I grew into it, I figured out a style that I wanted to focus on and here I am 15 years later still loving the magic in tattooing. The rest is history.
Can you also tell me about this life experience of yours that brought you to ‘Bhorn Tattoo’ in Barcelona? Why did you leave Germany?
I worked almost 10 years in a shop called ‘Hardcore Ink Tattoo Kassel’ (IG: @hardcore_ink_kassel) so it was time for me to go out there and see the world. I ended up travelling non stop around the world for three years. I spent almost two years in Asian countries, backpacking over borders and soaking in different cultures and religions. It was an inspiring time.
After travelling around in a Camper Van in beautiful Australia and New Zealand, I decided to buy one of them in Europe. So I went on another year of adventure through Europe, all the way down the Atlantic coast till Morocco. All the years have been a great trip based on surfing, discovering, camping and new impressions with awesome people. In some of these countries I stopped along the way for a few days to work beside great and inspiring artists.
And you finally arrived in Barcelona…
Barcelona has been one of the places I enjoyed the most. It’s an amazing city full of good artists and it’s right next to the ocean. After travelling in so many nice and warm countries located by the sea, I just had to move away from the German weather and closer to the sun.
Tell me a little about your style that is so fascinating and colorful. A combination of Traditional, Eastern suggestions, spirituality and a hint of surrealism, is that correct?
I think you described pretty well what I’m doing. I try my best to express all the things that inspired me along the way while travelling, within my work.
I’m always all over the place with what I want to reach with my work, it truly gathers a lot of influences from different styles.
But it still finds a guideline in the repeating colour patterns I’m using in my designs. That’s how older work still fits together with the latest style I am growing into naturally.
How close are you to making the first tattoo bodysuit of your career?
I’m actually pretty fast. I usually finish a full arm in 4 to 5 sessions and there are a lot of clients with full backs and both arms and legs covered in my work, but I wouldn’t call this a bodysuit. I just recently started to work more with background.
All the work I did for many years was more based on patchwork piece by piece, so it connected good with other works from different artists. A lot of my clients are tattoo collectors, they travel around to get work from their favourite artists. But it would be interesting to plan a whole bodysuit with one big concept. Challenge accepted!
Since we mentioned it earlier, tell me about the atmosphere at ‘Bhorn Tattoo’ and what should we expect from such a place?
‘Bhorn Tattoo’ (IG: @bhorn.tattoo) is a great place with a lot of different personalities working together side by side. It can get busy when everyone is working at the same time, but that doesn’t happen too often. Most of the artists are working 3-4 days a week, mostly on big projects with a lot of international clients. It’s such a melting pot of creativity. Everything well organized by Max and Roberto, the owners.
Who are Max and Roberto?
They are the masterminds behind ‘The Island Tattoo Connection’ project (IG: @the_island_tattoo_connection) as well. That’s probably the closest event to a convention I attended. But it’s not really a convention.
It’s a non profit tattoo event with artists from all over the planet, joining on an island to create art and tattoos together.
All the income always goes to charity for a local project. This describes a bit the attitude how they run ‘Bhorn Tattoo’ as well.
I know a new adventure awaits you soon, right?
Yeah, there will be changes soon. The two legends of ‘Bhorn’, Alvaro Alonso and Brian Flores will open a shop pretty soon in Sitges, 30 min down the coast from Barcelona. Toni Donaire and myself will join the team as well. This brand new shop will be called ‘Mano Electrica’, so stay tuned on this project!
What summer do you foresee for your work?
Usually I take a few weeks off in summer for short surf holidays and holiday trips. I’m still going frequently to Germany for guest spots and family visits. This summer will be also a lot of work for the guys in the new shop.
I’m looking forward to support them where I can. I’m proud to be part of this new wind of change.
And your last famous words are… ?
I’m thankful for everything I have been given and all the amazing people I met along the ride. Looking forward for more adventures!
