He works in a mysterious tattoo studio in the South-West of France, where Joel Alba is constantly improving his Art of Realism.
Joel, have you always been a tattoo artist in your life or did you get there through different paths?
No, I haven’t always been a tattoo artist. I did my first tattoo in 2010 but it was in 2017 that I decided to make it my profession after several years in the industry. In 2018 I specialized in Realism or – better said – Art of Realism.
Yeah, you have defined your style very clearly as: “Art of Realism”. Do you think there is also an outside influence, a certain artistic flair on your part, or is your goal to perfectly reproduce the photographic reference?
I think that if I didn’t do Realism I would have tried Japanese tattooing. You can also find in some of my tattoos a Japanese inspiration in the cutting of my compositions.
Do you think you had important mentors in the orbit of tattoo art or did it all depend on your eye, mind and hands as an artist?
I discovered Realism through the work of Thomas Carlier Jarlier (IG: @thomascarlijarlier) who, in my opinion, did a lot for photorealistic tattooing. Then I was shocked when I discovered the work of Gakkin (IG: @gakkinx).
There is something very spiritual in the work of Gakkin, you know?
I also have lots of other mentors (Shooby, Nikko Hurtado, Samohin etc.) for the color part. I’m quite hard on myself and I have lots of creations that are on hold because I’m missing the little thing that could tell me “Hey, it’s good, I can propose now!”.
Is your work better developed in its length or width? I believe that the entire legs and sleeves that you tattoo can tell a true story, a “realistic” story compared to a simple piece. What do you think about it?
I’m lucky enough to work in a fairly remote location – at the foot of the Pyrenees – and to do quite a few large pieces. I like to be able to offer something successful at the risk of scaring my clients by always proposing to do something bigger than expected! In Realism there are codes to respect so that the composition is clearly readable and ages well over time.
You said: “At the foot of the Pyrenees”. So where exactly do you work in France? Do you tattoo in a private studio?
I come from rural areas. I chose to stay in the South-West of France because there are all my roots (the mountains, the ocean, Spain and France). I’m in a private studio because I work on large tattoo sessions – around 9 hours of actual work per day – and I want to maintain this calm and privacy for myself and my clients. I even offer my clients to pick them up at the station and put them up next to my studio! I’m passionate and I like to develop my work.
Is your waiting list easily manageable by future clients or do they have months of waiting?
Well, I don’t want to have a full schedule for too long a period to be able to give myself the opportunity to do new things. Currently I’m full for 6/7 months from now (The interview took place in the middle of summer, towards the end of July 2024. Ed).
Do you have any tattoo conventions booked for after the summer or can you already tell us where you will be in 2025?
For now in 2024 I will be present at ‘The Inkfactory’ (IG: @theinkfactorylyon), aka the tattoo convention in Lyon and at ‘Mondial du Tatouage’ (IG: @mondialdutatouage) in Paris in 2025.
Social networks are somewhat dictating the global tattoo dance. Unfortunately, I lack the visibility to plan for other events at the moment…
Who knows, maybe this interview will open doors for me both in terms of invitations to events and sponsor proposals! I’m an eternal dreamer! (laughs)
And your famous last words are…?
“You have to have music within yourself to make the world dance.” (Friedrich Nietzsche).
