E: What do tattoos mean to you?

Tom: Tattoos are something magical, something special. The origins of tattoos make that very clear. Eskimos used to wear pictures of the animals they are looking forward to hunt on their skin. They were made with very primitive tools, similar to the cave drawings of the cavemen, but they were tattoos, nevertheless. The Eskimos and their medicine men thought they had magical power and could tell their gods what they were seeking. Today it’s much the same if someone wants a tattoo of a powerful animal. He or she wants that the power and endurance of the animal will become part of them. Freedom seeking people get simple ideas to hide them with pride at work under a white shirt. Not everybody has to know about it (Tom laughs). There are so many of them. You only can understand this feeling if you are not longer “naked”.

E: How socially acceptable are tattoos in Germany?

Tom: People have gotten used to it. The viewers like to take a closer look and recognize the difference between cheap needle jobs and crafted tattoos, that deserves the same admiration as any other artwork. People are curious. Me and those that enjoy the sight of a good tattoo, we wouldn’t make bad jokes about a person with no tattoos (good point! Note from the editor). We don’t say, “What a pussy you are. Or milkface, or something like that!”

E: Have the scene and customers changed in recent years?

Tom: Yes, absolutely! Because all kinds of people get tattoos now. It’s fascinating all you need is an idea and a place for your tattoo if you find the right tattoo artist. It’s a fact that you can make your own dreamland out of your skin and be able to show it whenever you want. It’s juwelery, sometimes a powerforce, that no one can take away from you.