Thirty kilometers away from Berlin you’ll find Markus Lenhard, international Tattoo artist and known for his work in bio-mech and bio-organic. We take advantage of Elvin’s (aka Sid L-Boy) third and final appointment with Markus who’s inking his ribs in order to meet him. He greets us in his home located at the entrance of a forest and in the middle of the countryside. Not surprising for a fan of nature and mountain bike.
After a nice cup of coffee, we go downstairs to his private workshop in the basement. A big and quiet room, fully equipped with all the technology for the good of tattooing : computer, graphic pad, printer and library. Everything to make quality tattoos. Many frames and illustrations decorate the walls as well as « naturalized insects. » The place is calm and appealing. Markus’ choice of practicing in a private workshop allows him to work without being interrupted, no coming and going of people in the area, no clients to inform which interrupts the appointments, no team to manage. A lot of time saved in order to take care of his client and to work on the tattoo. His clientele know his work and book the rendez vous on internet. He doesn’t have any interest in working in a shop or in the center of Berlin. He often makes big pieces on multiple days in a row and his workshop is equipped with a giant screen and quality hifi rig as well as all the comfort needed for a tattoo studio which seems practical to receive and elaborate illustrations and tattoos with his clients in a climate of trust.
Markus always wanted to be a tattoo artist, he didn’t see himself do anything different from an artistic job and the art of tattooing seduced him. He started his career in Berlin in 2003, in the first shop where he started out by doing the drawings then started inking. Self-taught, he observes the other tattooists in conventions. He also learns a lot while being tattooed by other good artists, such as Guy Aitchison, who will advise him while inking his arm. Guy Aitchison, bio mech tattoo grand master, is known for his pedagogy. He is the author of many publications on the tattoo technics (Both artists know each other and sometimes collaborate on a few projects).
Markus works here and there before settling in Rotterdam for nearly 7 years. Passionnate about sci-fi movies, littérature, fond of Giger and the first Alien opus, he grows a liking to the bio mechanical style and forges a nice reputation in the domaine. Back in Berlin, with nearly a solid experience of his art, he opens a private workshop in which he greets us today.
In his other interests, we can find photography. He often takes photos to capture different textures or movement in nature. In which he can get inspired in hi artwork. Nothing better than macro lens to discover matter that our eyes are incapable of discerning. Its probably why he also appreciates Karl Blossfeldt’s work, german photograph who worked in the early 20th century. Discover his work and the links between the forms and textures used in bio-mech or bio-organic tattoos will become really evident (google is your friend !).
Alfons Mucha, illustrator in the early 20th century, is also an inspiration for Markus. Mucha knows how to represent nature in a simple way. His drawing is effective with a precise line keeping only what’s necessary, just like the japanese style of tattooing compares Markus. This style attracts him particularly, the Japanese artists learned how to capture nature and elements like no one else. Only with the necessary lines, a simplification and an accuracy pushed to the extreme all the while keeping the elegancy and the aesthetic value. The rules of the japanese style can be used in other genres, such as bio-mech where the movements of the elements and the forms in general are very important. Markus would love to tattoo japanese inspired pieces, but he concludes that he mostly gets requests for bio-mech tattoos.
While talking about his style (bio-mech) Markus explains with amusement that it isn’t so hype and so corresponds to a well informed clientele. He explains that everyone can understand the representation of a flower or a bird but that bio-mech (art abstract) isn’t accessible to everyone. Such as music, everyone can listen to a variety or pop music, but it requires a bit more understanding to listen to jazz for example. It’s easier to get attention with lettering or realistic portraits than with more abstract tattoos. Like a good whisky or wine, you have to educate your palate.
We finish our interview on the subject of seminars of which there are more and more. Markus tells us they’ve been around way longer in the U.S. and are just starting to come around in Europe. He then continues by saying that it would be interesting to institutionalize seminars or create formations with a diploma to confirm the knowledge of the tattooists. There’s more and more artists and it’s difficult for a client to choose a serious shop. Those diplomas would allow some sort of filtering. Markus is preparing a seminar he will present during conventions, and doesn’t exclude that he would teach how to tattoo afterwards. The fact of being self-taught forced him to understand the rules of tattooing by himself by breaking down the subjects, which allows him to explain them easily.
We thank Markus for receiving us. Enjoy his work ! www.lux altera.com instagram: luxaltera facebook: Markus Lenhard Article by DHK Thanks to James C. for the translation.
