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| Body painting by artist NOVO / Courtesy of NOVO |
By Rachel Lee
Having a tattoo was once considered something of a taboo in Korean culture. Often relegated to the realm of counterculture and seen as a surefire way to fail a job interview, tattoos have started to go mainstream and built a ubiquitous presence in the fashion industry.
In what is perhaps the greatest fashion shift for a generation, they are now displayed and admired like a Celine bag or a Prada shoe.
They are not subversive, nor transgressive; neither are they a mark of the outsider ― gang members or criminals. What was once the mark of sailors, bikers and rockers is now commonplace with consulting managers, advertising executives and stay-at-home moms. You would be hard-pressed to find a celebrity who doesn't boast a tattoo these days.
In the fashion world, tattoos are seen everywhere, including the runways and with most advertising. Danish model Freya Beha Erichsen's "Breathe" tattoo has been splashed across Chanel's latest campaign and last year's Valentino ads featured a model with a heavily inked arm.
The gradual cultural shift towards an acceptance of tattoos conveys the need to tell our stories, reveal ourselves and live in a flow of art-directed personal information. They are not just body art ― they are a form of self-expression, which can often reveal intimate, personal histories, our heritage and our values.
Needles and spin novo on the art of tattoo
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| A tattoo design by NOVO |
With almost half of his body covered in ink, ranging from letters to planes to a woman's face surrounded by flowers ― it is a journal of his life. NOVO has always wanted to express himself in harmonious images engraved on his body.
"I don't call myself a tattooist. I am a communicator and a story-telling artist," he said in an interview at a café in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul. The Korean artist, whose real name is Kang Jeong-eun, is a celebrity body-art performer known for his eclectic talents in fashion, film and advertising. His hyper-real, fine-line tattoos have turned him into the most in-demand tattoo artist in the country.
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| NOVO's collaboration with MCM ‘s Kunst proje |
NOVO is an eccentric figure; despite countless cross-over collaborations in the arts industry, he chooses to keep a low profile to ensure he isn't recognized by the masses. He also only deals with clients who have a story to share.
"I am not an engraving machine. I am a human being. That means, before working on details of a tattoo design, I first listen to their stories; like what they've gone through in their life, including their innermost thoughts, secrets and trauma. Communicating and understanding is key in my work process," said the 32-year-old artist.
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| The artist's body painting work for Nike's Air Max Day |
He never dreamt of becoming a tattooist. Once an undergraduate in art and sculpture, he left his school for France hoping to free himself from those restraints. It was then he found visions of tattoo-related art and started creating his portfolio.
"I began to use the medium of tattoo for my artistic works, which included a collaboration with Nike and designing t-shirts for the World Cup," said NOVO.
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| NOVO / Courtesy of the artist |
Despite the enormous popularity of his creations, the artist still faces an unflattering truth: judgmental views from conservative artists, who regard his job as unsavory.
"I think it's a matter of personal taste, like cigarettes. You can't say it's right or wrong to smoke or get a tattoo. You don't have to fully understand them, but you should at least respect people's choices," he said. "Whatever caused you to dislike something or someone, you must have a clear reason for why. If it's just ingrained prejudice, well, all I can say is, poor you, because you will never get out of it."
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