cult of self magazine issue #3 | Page 23

Were you a part of the local tattoo sub culture before you left SA, do you follow/support the local artists in SA? I was never into tattooing when I lived in SA. I grew up there till my teenage years. During that time I never really took my art as seriously as now, I was too busy with school, partying, being a teenager etc. So I never really knew any South African artists. I don’t think I know any to this present day either. As every sub culture eventually becomes, has tattooing become mainstream in Amsterdam or is there a community that honours what a tattoo essentially means: a lifelong commitment. I think in general tattooing has become mainstream world wide, not only in Amsterdam. As with everything, there will be people that are true to the culture and understand and/or respect, as well as it and those that do it because they want to be ‘cool’ or fit in. Unfortunately, the group of people that get tattoo’s just to act cool or for the wrong reasons far exceeds the group that truly understand the art of tattooing.