Into: Why I care about this

When I tattoo by hand, I’m not just decorating skin. I’m touching the same tradition that runs through Ötzi the Iceman, Siberian princesses, Polynesian chiefs, Japanese masters, sailors, prisoners, and punks.

I started as a young tattooer in Russia, got pushed out by politics, and carried this craft across continents. Now, when you sit in my chair, you’re sitting in a story that is thousands of years old.

“The oldest body ever found is tattooed. That means tattooing is older than your religion, your government, your grandpa’s favorite war story.”

When I tattoo by hand, it’s more than ink: it’s a conversation—with shamans and sailors, princes and punk kids, and every soul who marked their body by hand before buzzing machines existed. I carried this skill through exile, and now practice it at conventions and guest spots across the globe. Each needle stroke connects you and me to thousands of years of tradition.