Stefan Halbwachs, the tattoo nerd who enhances big contrasts

We meet one of the two owners of the ‘Monumentum Tattoo’ in Vienna. He does not belong to any tribal culture, but rather to the greatness of tattoo art.

Hi Stefan, would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?
I would call myself a tattoo nerd, who likes to dive deep into the matter of tattooing. So besides tattooing I build my own machines and all the stuff you need for tattooing like power supplies, clip cords, tubes, needles etc.

I really want to understand tattooing and everything I use is adapted to my personal way of working.

This makes the actual process of tattooing much easier allowing me to focus entirely on technique and design.

Tattoo by Stefan Halbwachs, @stefan.halbwachs

How did you choose to become a professional tattoo artist in your life?
As a teenager my dream was to make a living from the stuff I drew and I was very interested in tattooing at that time. So I started tattooing and it became a regular job. Looking back it’s crazy how many people came to the home of a kid to get something as permanent as a tattoo, but I’m very grateful for it as you can only learn by doing.

I think it is wrong to define yourself exclusively as a tattoo artist specializing in the Tribal style. Also because yours is a Tribal that bears your signature and reflects your particular way of understanding art, right?
I wouldn’t call my work Tribal as I am far away from any tribal culture. For sure I was influenced by Tribal tattoos in my first years of tattooing and that created a base of what tattooing is for me. I like the big contrasts and especially the commitment. But since I don’t belong to any of these tribal cultures it doesn’t feel natural to do tattoos that belong to those traditions.

Is every tattoo important to you or do you find that when you work on full bodysuits, you are really pushing your limits?
Every project is important to me as I try to create unique pieces for anyone who allows me to work freely on them. This requires trust and commitment.

Bodysuits don’t happen overnight, usually they are on people I have been tattooing for many years.

One project leads to the next, eventually resulting in a full bodysuit. It’s not my limits that get pushed during a bodysuit, but rather the person getting tattooed—they reach their limits!

Can you tell me more about ‘Monumentum Tattoo’ in Vienna? How many years have you been working there and what kind of study should we expect if we come to visit the capital of Austria?
My friend Mario Grimm (IG: @mariogrimmtattoo) and I opened the shop ‘Monument Tattoo’ (IG: @monument.tattoo) nearly 3 years ago to work together with our friends Bonzo (IG: @bonzotattoos89), Bruno Richter (IG: @blk.atz) and Rene Znidar (IG: @znidonis). We wanted a relaxed and fair working environment, with enough space and opportunities for growth. We host many guest artists from around the world, some quite regularly.

What are your professional challenges for 2025 and which tattoo conventions are you aiming to attend?
I’d like to finish a few larger pieces I’m currently working on. I’ll probably redefine and dive deeper into my technique with grey wash and the depth of my designs. I hardly went to conventions so far.

Who has been the mentor in your life that you’d like to thank?
That was definitely Gerhard Wiesbeck (IG: @gerhardwiesbeck), who I got to know in my early 20s. He always believed in me and supported me in many ways. Gerhard Wiesbeck showed me directions and helped build my foundation of what tattooing can look like.