tattoo Interview with Piotr Deadi Dedel | london, Uk 16/02/2012
Q: What made you to become a tattoo artist?
A: A few things had an influence on that decision paralelly. First
of all, I have always been drawing, as a young boy I liked to watch
horror movies, I was waiting for them till late hours when they were
broadcasted on TV, pissing off my parents by that as well... After
that, I was drawing characters from those movies - in secret,
because my mom forbade me to do it. She thought, maybe she was
right, that there was something wrong with my mind haha. Later on, a
teenage inspiration in punk music and psycho-social philosophy
connected with it joined my interests, which developed in me a will
of passing a message in my drawings. And that's how ambitious
drawing began. Everything I did must have had an artistic meaning,
gave some thoughts to think of. I didn't feel satisfied with the
path I'd chosen at the beginning when I was trying to become an
architect... But things started to go in good direction on their
own, I gave up studying at the university and bought my first tattoo
machine. So everything happened by itself, I've always felt inside
of me that I'm destined to be making tattoos.
Q: How long have you been tattooing?
A: I've been tattooing since 2006.
Q: What kind of tattoos you used to like the most?
A: At the time I liked black and white tattoos only, I had never
used any other colors than these... I have started to use other
colors after 2 years of tattooing, so it was 4 years ago.
Q: What was the most inspiring (thing or person) for you in
the beginnings?
A: At the beginning, I knew nobody who could take me off with his
tattoos. I liked only few tattoo artists. More inspiration I saw in
paintings of artists like Beksinski, Lempicka or Salvador Dali. My
friends from the band I was in also were inspiring me, they were
supporting me to grab a machine, and it was them who awoke a hope in
me, that someday I will be able to put on people's skins things that
I've been doing on a piece of paper. After 3 years of working at
home, surprisingly I started a cooperation with Victor Portugal, who
I had been working 1,5 year in one studio with. A very important
person in my career was also
Tofi, who tattoos me and opened my eyes
in many issues.
Q: Some people say that it is possible to be self though
artist. What are your thoughts about this? How did you learn to
tattoo?
A: I can't say that somebody helped my in developing my skills at
the beginning... Actually, I discovered everything all by myself by
trail-end-error method, artists that I was asking to give me some
tips were mostly closed to help me. The most important to me was to
master my skill, so the ink is precisely put in the skin and heals
well.
Q: What is your favorite tattoo style?
A: I have no idea how to name my style, I think it has the most in
common with surrealism, or saturated realism. Everything I do I do
it automatically, there is a lot of improvisation in it.
Q: Seems like all of your works are
custom. We can see a lot of fantasy motives in every tattoo. How do
you cope your ideas with your clients? What's the inspiration?
A: Cooperation with a client relies basically on consultations with
him. I present my vision of his idea, usually it is the client who
decides on the subject of his tattoo. I don't like when I have to
decide on everything on my own, at least I want to know what
basically a person wants to have tattooed on his skin. I decide on
the rest, additional features (which, along with the client's idea,
tell some story), and technical site, which means the composition,
colors and all the other details.
Q: What would your "dream piece" be to work on if someone
completely let you choose the design?
A: I would like somebody to give his (or her) whole body to my
disposal haha. Subjectively almost all my works are my "dream piece"
because my clients in majority are open-minded people who trust me,
so I usually do what I want.
Q: Your drawings are awesome!
Seems like you are very inspired by Giger's art, right? Many of your
compositions features dark motives. What is their significance? Is
there any message?
A: It's untrue that I'm inspired by Giger, honestly, I like his
works but they have no significant influence on my drawings. I treat
my work very personally, these are usually reflections of my fears
connected with my life, but also with life of human in general. I
try to present what emotions, nature of good and evil, and brutal
random casualness means to me. That is why I feel very happy when
somebody says that he identifies himself with what I have drawn,
because all those things are common to all of us, universal indeed.
Q: Do you get caught up in the meaning of your paintings or
tattoos, or you keep that separate?
A: Of course the more meaning, the better! Although, in reality I
have more freedom in my drawings and I can allow myself for bigger
chaos.
In the case of tattoos everything has to be done perfectly and much
more aesthetically - the composition must be more fluent and fit the
body. Moreover, in tattoos I like colors more, in paintings -
opposite.
Q: Art could be a great influence on someone's personality.
What is the best lesson that you've learned from your art journey?
A: Through art I have understood, that the whole life depends on
ourselves and our attitude to it. A painting doesn't paint itself,
and to start it some self-discipline is needed. I have also
understood that depending on an intuition is very important,
listening and taking into consideration an internal voice which
helps us to choose the right solutions. Sometimes improvisation is
necessary, giving up schemes, and creating new and unknown paths. To
be honest, I can't imagine my life without art, to me it is all that
makes life exciting and deep in meaning.
Q: What's your motivational lesson
for the new artists?
A: Trust your intuition, be courageous and ask questions.
Q: What are your goals for the upcoming year? Please feel
free to share your website.
A: I don't want to sit in one spot, though travelling with my
girlfriend I am searching for a new place for me. I like Switzerland
very much where I'm now taking part in a longer guestspot, but I
have fewer more European conventions planned (England, Belgium,
Poland...). Later on, a guestspot in London and a trip to China. I
think this would be it, because no one knows what 2012 will bring
us. You can contact me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/deaditattoo