Connect with us

What's up

Are Tattoo Artists Injustly Affected By Covid 19? We Ask One To Find Out

Published

on

tattoo artists, david z james, tous encrés, felipe del pozo

What About The Tattoo Artists?

If you have a business, it’s safe to say that you may have been affected by Coronavirus somehow and to me tattoo artists got it worst than almost everybody. While the government has drawn the line about what is an essential service or not, there are entrepreneurs all over Quebec who decided to not let this be the end

all be all and actually raise questions about how this pandemic is affecting small businesses all over the globe.

Read More: Here’s What I’ve Learned About Myself Since The Coronavirus Crisis Started

We spoke with the legendary David Z. James, a tattoo artist who made a name for himself for nearly 3 decades by pushing the limits of the tattoo industry. From tattooing 28 000 feet above ground (breaking a Canadian record in the process) to putting together tattoo conventions with artists from all across the world. It’s safe to say that most like his art, it’s a permanent thing between him and the tattoo world.

Advertisement

In the interview, we ask David how he thinks brick and mortar businesses and the tattoo world is going to rise again from the pandemic and as expected he gave us an unfiltered/raw trip into his creative mind.

Where do you find inspiration for your art?

I love a lot of styles, forms of  arts like graffiti to old school painters, tattooers and entrepreneurs .

My bests are : Le Caravage, Salvatore Dali, HR Giger,Tintin, Filip leu, Richie Bulldog, Guy Laliberté, Horiyoshi3, Devildriver, Mister Cartoon, Estevan Oriol, Norm,Trigz, LA Originals, Dany Diablo, Sane2, Imago Tattoo’s Safwan, my wife my baby girl, my 2 boys, family histories and many, many more. All the originals ones

You started in 1991, what keeps you motivated these days?

Tattooing, arts and living my life with my partners, friends and family around the world.

Advertisement

tattoo artists, david z james,

How did you came up with the idea for your record of tattooing a TV personality 28 000 feet above the air?

it s a Felipe Del Pozo Idea, just ask him! More seriously, he wanted to produce a spectacular event to help the cause of young people in difficulty from Montreal’s Dans la rue de Montréal and Québec’s Au Trait d’union. In the United States, Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee and Justin Bieber were tattooed 40,000 feet in the air! We managed 28,000 feet above the air  the first time on a Chrono Aviation plane. With Felipe, we are developing a new idea to beat the world record!

Even though there’s competition, you seem to care about bringing artists together through events and projects. Why is it so important to you?

‍Because i’m a real original one they said.  30 years of tattooing around the world. I’ve met a lot of people during my trips and they gave me that “tattoo essence“, the real fire. So since, I try, over those years to re-give all that knowledge and power to the young artists from the streets and ghettos :

real ones, our kids, our futur. TTWO our future foundation.

How do you separate the artist from the businessman

‍After all these years, I can say I m both of them now and i’ll never separate again the artist from the businessman . A big brother showed me the best way to do it so now I do everything ALL by myself  with the James  family which is a  really good team. it’s  a family business.

Advertisement

What do you think about copycats?

‍Fuck that shit..next!

What is the wildest tattoo you’ve ever had to make?

‍I did a hair tattoo on François Sagat in the early 2000’s. One shot, all black, five hours to did it. He’s a true warrior and a legend.

What are your 3 keys to success?

‍Working ..Working …Respect.

The tattoo industry got hit severely by Covid-19. Do you think tattoo artists should open brick-and-mortars in the future?

‍We will see. I can’t answer  because I’m not a Gypsy. Let’s go back to work together, 2021 will be better.

Advertisement

tattoo artists, david z james

 

Felipe Del Pozo, Safwan & David Z. James

What is the most challenging aspect of the pandemic for tattoo artists?

‍Society…

In your open letter, you talk about the fact that tattoo artists already had sanity guidelines to follow that are quite similar to hospitals. Do you think it was fair to be put on lockdown and how tattoo artists will adapt in the future?

‍For sure, we’ve  lockdown our shops on Friday 13/03/2020 to assure our safety as required by the government and like all other Canadians we’ve been waiting since.

Advertisement

Now we will l continue all the good work we started 30 years ago and keep our community on top. Tattoo is The ”10ième art ” for us .#fuckcovid19

On the business side, how can a company with a physical location can plan and survive to a lockdown in your opinion?

You know i m a self made man. This Time it will be really hard for every Canadian. While 9-11 was happening, I was Working on a project  in New York when the twin towers fell. It was a war zone and we’ve won and we’ve adapted . We must adapt to a  new way of life in 2020.

Some viruses are more vicious than terrorism, like the black plague in Marseille France. Over 85 % of the population died in just a month . All this to say that we must remember, learn  and we must protect our families.

Is there any project you’re working on once the lockdown is over?

A lot, we are booked in many new projects with my hermano Felipe del Pozo like a new campaign Tous Encrés in collaboration with many stars and friends from all around the globe. We have a world tour coming as soon as we can fly again, with 13 dates.

Advertisement

A family road trip ,.an original series is on the way. We’re going to Paris ,Moscow ,Los Angeles Miami ,NY,  Montreal, a real inside view of our crazy family  but not a reality tv show.  TTWO the Original Series  is our trademark and brand.

We also have Ink’n’Road 3 Montreal edition coming . We will Keep on tattooing and living a good life.

 

To celebrate the opening of his tattoo in the province, David Z. James is doing an exclusive tattoo session on IG LIVE via the Cyns Tattoo Barber Shop instagram account on June 1st at midnight

Advertisement

 

Follow David Z. James

@ttwo_the_original_series

We want to help you

Advertisement

 

 

Continue Reading
Advertisement

What's up

Myraï Lavoie Is Taking The Fashion World By Storm With The Glitch Fashion Show

Published

on

Myraï Lavoie

Myraï Lavoie Is Creating Her Own Universe And You’re Invited

What I appreciate the most about my work is the fact that I get to meet great minds & humans with a powerful story and this time around, I got to cross path with the talented Myraï Lavoie.

Read More: Tawhida Tanya Evanson: When Words Can Really Give You Wings

The city has been quiet fashion wise over the years and as platform that mostly talked about fashion in its inception, we’ve felt it the most over here.

There would be sparks of hope here and there but besides Festival De Mode & Design, not a lot of things really stood out.

Advertisement

When I heard about ”The Glitch” it’s like I knew what it was about without nothing what it was about.

I mean good branding is good branding but it was more so who’s behind the good branding this time around. I had the chance to work with Myraï Lavoie in the past and one thing I can is : there’s a method to her madness.

Advertisement

Every artist has an eye and that eye is shaped by our views of the world and life experiences. Myraï had an interesting life.

One where being different is actually the move. One where if you don’t fit somewhere, you don’t try to get in the mold, you bend it.

For all the lack of support or misunderstand she got in Montreal, she found a place to be creative working or being in room with the likes of Paris Hilton & P. Diddy to name a few.

What she’s learned from coming out of her shell and experiencing the world she’s about the share it with us with her own fashion called ”The Glitch” tonight.

”The Glitch” is exactly what I thought it was going to be. A standout experience and experience and something you’ve never seen before just like its creator.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

What's up

The 50th Anniversary Of Les Grands Explorateurs Presents A Touching Documentary Exploring Africa And Its Wonders

An Amazing Story by Amazing Creators!

Published

on

Milan Bihlmann et Muammer Yilmaz. les grands explorateurs

Les Grands Explorateurs Is Celebrating Africa In A Real Way!

Curiosity has to be the most incredible human quality there is and Les Grands Explorateurs has been putting it on the forefront for the past 50 years!

Read More: Isabelle Mugwaneza Desmarais: An Unlikely Journey For An Unlikely Unique Success Story

We are now entering an era where we want to know more about what is going on on the other side of the world.

How people are living, their culture and what is their reality compared to ours.

Advertisement

Sometimes the depiction of such reality is either unfair or made to look down at somebody. Other times, filmmakers have the challenge to depict a reality in a way to uplift what other cultures are bringing to the table.

Milan Bihlmann and Muammer Yilmaz are two filmmakers who know where they stand when it comes to that.

Rêves D’Afrique” is the epidemy of that. The two filmmakers decided to go to 7 countries in Africa to not only paint the picture for the world but to give the good people out there something we forget to give one another : ”a piece of yourself’.

Armed with a backpack, film gear and true altruism, the duo spread love and good deeds wherever they could throughout their trip.

Advertisement

Watch The Trailer

Les Grands Explorateurs being this platform to uncover the world made the right choice by adding this beautiful piece to their program.

Up until November 1st, you still have the chance to see the beautiful piece in theater and then online starting November 2nd.

Tickets Here

Advertisement

Continue Reading

What's up

Isabelle Mugwaneza Desmarais: An Unlikely Journey For An Unlikely Unique Success Story

Published

on

isabelle mugwaneza desmarais

A Change Is Coming…Finally?

I grew up in the 90’s and although we can only realize it now but seeing people like Isabelle Mugwaneza Desmarais striving in a space where not a lot of us do is what was missing this whole time.

Read More: Lobster Season Has Arrived And The Homard Gaspésien Is Still The Best You Can Find On The Planet

The thing about representation is that you won’t know you need it until you need it. As most of us were just looking at society, we didn’t see ourselves but also normalized it.

I think Isabelle saw something that we couldn’t see in ourselves. The truth is not at the extreme it’s right in the middle. The intersection between being different but also a part of the ecosystem was what she saw.

Advertisement

Representation is not about doing what’s right because it’s right but more so because it needs to be done.

Starting her career in the public sector wasn’t a thrill anymore. Then she did some soul searching and probably came to the conclusion we all come to at some point in our existence:

Life Is A Joke

For her it was literal though. She figured out that humor and the business around it was her calling so what was the first step? Becoming a comedian herself and teach a thing or two to Dave Chappelle?

What about producing your own show with up and coming artists? Well, for Isabelle Mugwaneza Desmarais the start of this new chapter was simple as getting a non-paid internship.

Advertisement

Just For Laughs became her new home and with that started her mission to be at the forefront of what the landscape in comedy was to become.

Through thick and thin, work and dedication, intuition and know-how, she pulled through and the big way too!

Isabelle Mugwaneza Desmarais became the director of ZooFest. With her pulse on the scene, she fought and pushed for upcoming talents that are more than just tanned.

We’re seeing more BIPOCs getting a chance on stage and I would like to believe that this is just the beginning.

Advertisement

Speaking of ZooFest, if you want to see for yourself how this festival has grown in diversity and get a good kick out of it. You still have the opportunity to do so tomorrow as the last day of the celebration

With french performers like Lenny M’BungaAZMarine EllaMeryem BenouaAyoub Marceau & Hugo.

Live podcasting will also be a part of the last run of the show. In the corner of Jeanne-Mance & Maisonneuve, you can can get a good view, a good potential date, you get to see greatness in all shapes, size or color AND of course a good laugh!

Advertisement

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending