When you’re admiring tattoos by Denis Elice, it’s easy to feel like you’re in an art gallery. An exhibition of statues, each one more expressive than the last, to the point of coming to life and haunting your dreams.Denis concocts his inkings at Manulibera Tattoo Studio in Milan after earning his stripes alongside Pietro Sedda, the Italian master of surrealist portraits. With fewer than 10 years of tattooing under his belt, he has an incredible mastery of ink, movement and the art of composition.
Hi Denis, can you tell us about yourself?
Hello, I’m Denis and if I had to describe myself in one sentence, I’d say that I’m a really sociable, compassionate and extroverted person.
Where are you from?
I was born and grew up in a small village at the foot of the mountains a few kilometers from the Ligurian sea in Italy.
Where do you work?
At the moment I’m working out of a superb private studio in Milan, in the Ventura Lambrate district, well-known as being the setting for the Milan Design Week. The studio is called Manulibera Tattoo and is run by Emanuele Sircana.
When you did first discover tattooing?
I got into tattooing following advice from ex-colleagues who suggested I start because I had a talent for drawing. I built up contacts in the field during the 2013 Turin tattoo convention. I went on to spend 9 years in that wonderful city, where I met people who became professional colleagues one year later.
After that, when did you become a tattoo artists?
In 2013, when I decided to to throw myself into this way of life, I didn’t really know how to go about it. I educated myself on the subject by getting inked by the best Italian tattoo artists like Pietro Sedda, Rudy Fritsch and Marco Firinu. I also went to the London tattoo convention to find inspiration and discover new artists who could influence me.
So how long have you been tattooing ?
I did my first tattoo on a close friend in April 2014, it was a simple rose and it’s still visible on my Instagram account.
You started out tattooing with Pietro Sedda. What was it like working with him ?
Without a doubt, my four years working at Saint Mariner were an incredible experience. I’m extremely grateful to Pietro for the opportunity he gave me and the discipline he taught me.
Did you study art ?
I studied advertising graphic arts and photography, then I specialized with a Master’s degree in comic book art in 2010.
Is that where you learned to draw ?
I’ve been drawing since my childhood, but I acquired experience and developed my technique through my studies.
The inspiration from classical art is clear in your work, like the sculptures. Why transpose that onto skin ?
I have always been fascinated by the history of art. I started doing faces by drawing inspiration from vintage black and white photography. The statues on skin came later, when I decided to pay homage to the contemporary sculptor Igor Mitoraj after seeing some of his remarkable sculptures in person at the Palazzo Reale in Turin.
Where does you inspiration come from ? Books, museums, exhibitions ?
I find inspiration in all of those things, and primarily in illustrated art books and black and white photography.
What parts do tradition or modernity play in your work ?
I consider my style as a hybrid between traditional and realist tattooing techniques. So I’m really inspired by traditional layout, to which I add a surrealist twist.
Does the history of tattooing inspire or influence your work ?
It does somewhat, yes, especially during the early research phase. I have researched the origins of traditional American tattoos, which were my primary inspiration before working on my first pieces.
Between your research and experimentation, do you feel like you’ve created your own style ?
In all modesty, I can say that yes I have. My style reflects my personality, my tastes in art and design, my passions. All these elements are assembled in a really well thought-out and sophisticated layout
Why do you choose to use only black ink ?
Actually I do also like colors when tattooing. I have sometimes used color and I prefer colors which remind me of the Mediterranean, but it is a rare occurrence. As my style has mostly been inspired by marble statues and black and white photography, it makes more sense to only use black ink.
Scrolling through your Instagram is like walking through an art gallery. What do you want to express through your tattoos ?
My work is a reflection of my tastes. I really enjoy when people see my Instagram account as an art gallery, that’s exactly what I want to do with it. For me, the photography of the tattoos is a really important to my work. I pay a lot of attention to the photo shoot, ultimately the client is taking my work home with them on their skin, and I’m left with the image of what I created with passion.
Do you also express yourself through other art forms?
I regret not having studied ballet because I used to apply the same passion to dance that I do in my work today, I might have become a principal dancer. That’s a joke ! (even though I really am passionate about dance).
Do you think that tattooing is still not considered as an art form in its own right by some people ?
I’ve noticed people abusing the term ‘artist’ in the tattooing field, it would be more correct if the profession was seen as the craft of artisans, and consequently given the recognition it deserves.
There’s a significant tattoo scene in Italy, how do you see it evolving ?
I don’t want to come across as controversial, but I have the impression that tattooing is moving more towards the position of influencer, because of the social networks where unfortunately you have to be present to increase visibility and create a portfolio.
What are your plans for the coming year ?
This year I’m starting to develop my style by incorporating some Japanese art, whilst trying to remain authentic and recognizable. Regarding future projects, in the near future I’ll be coordinating my work between Italy and France, or more precisely between Milan, Paris and Lyon. @deniselice
