MURKADO

What motivated you to get tattooed in the first place?

• I've always been attuned to the Arts even from a young age, but I don't think I really conceptualized tattooing as a true art form until I was able to dismantle some of the prejudices that were carried down by my parents (and my Chinese background) regarding tattoos.

• A lot of the dismantling occurred naturally by means of exposing myself to a wider array of thoughts/opinions within music, literature, etc.

Do you remember what your first tattoo was?

• Oh boy. I got my first tattoo when I was 18. I honestly cannot remember the artist's name, but it was at a dingy spot on Whyte Avenue at the time (I say dingy because the shop closed down due to some scandal shortly after my experience there). I dragged a close friend of mine to come with me (classic!) on the actual day of my birthday and I got the phrase "this too shall pass" (even more classic!) tattooed on my left forearm.

How many tattoos do you currently have?

• I currently have 20 tattoos.

How do you decide on what type of tattoo design(s) to get prior to booking an appointment?

• It used to take me a great deal of time to decide on a tattoo but nowadays, the sheer gravitational pull of an idea coming to fruition will have me emailing an artist!

• I think this comes with age and a fuller, more sure-footed understanding of what you like in terms of aesthetics. 

What do you like about the particular style(s) of tattoos that you've chosen to get done?

• I like that I've stuck to the black-and-grey theme. It just suits me more.

• I also like that I have allowed myself to dabble and experiment with different styles. 

Do any of your tattoos hold any personal meaning to you that you’d like to share?

• All my tattoos hold a certain connotative weight to them. With that being said, I don't feel the need to share their personal meanings as they should simply be perceived as art from the outsider's perspective! 

What were some of the most painful spots to get tattooed for you?

• The most painful spot for me was the top of the foot. We did not get a shot of my tattoo there, but it was a 2.5 hour journey and I distinctly recall the upper half of my body involuntarily shaking the whole way through!

• I'm not sure why I chose that particular placement for my howling wolf, but I am proud of myself for being able to sit through the entire session without stopping the artist.

While getting a tattoo done, how do you prefer to pass the time?

• I'm pretty loyal when it comes to artists and because of that, a certain rapport has been established between myself and them - so I do prefer to pass the time by having conversations!

Has having tattoos had any impact in your personal life?

• I could write an essay on this question! My tattoos have had a HUGE impact on my relationship with my parents.

• I can truly say that the improvement has shone through only in recent years (I'm 28 now - so I've had tattoos for a decade).

• In short, I was hiding my first few tattoos from them and that caused an obvious strain on our dynamic in the home. When I did decide to remove the veil of secrecy, I was met with a lot of dissent and a lack of acceptance - to the point where I had to move out.

• In retrospect, the tattoos FELT like the sole problem, but it only compounded other issues that had been festering.

Do you have any favourite tattoos?

• Yes! The piece on my right forearm depicting a man and a woman in an interlocked embrace is my favourite.

• The idea came from a photograph that I had saved for years and it was a real effort for my artist to adapt the image to our liking but it definitely paid off, as I still look down on my arm with great fondness!