JAPANESE TATTOO MASTER's

The word TATTOO MASTER's is more than fitting in the case of legendary tattooers, artists and historians Horiyoshi III & Ed Hardy. Without them japanese tattooing might be only curious footnote in art books in the western society. There shouldnt be a tattoo artist or collector out there who doesnt acknowledge the impact they have had. They are like a doppelganger. A mirror of the same person. Almoust a failry tail told to children after tattoo convetions. They ARE modern tattooing and tattooing in general.


Dave has revolutionized japanese tattooing in my humble opinnion. Its unbelievably hard to take something that has existed for hundreds of years and give it a new life, while still honoring the past. I mean, just think about it. The style of japanese tattooing has stayed pretty much unchanged for generations and generations. So to someone to change the formula, they have to be one Crazy. Talented. Mother. Fucker. Like Shaft on crack.
He takes history and rewrites it and while he does it, he actually creates a NEW chapter on its rich history. And most importanly he makes it accessible for the younger generations who have been raised in the world of punk rock, comic book's and sarcastically fucked up humour. He creates something completely new but still without a doupt you can recognize the picture. How many artists do that, regardless of genre?