We reached out to Mo to learn more about him and his creative process. Firstly, we were curious to know more about the origins of his journey as a tattoo artist and the inspiration behind his captivating one-line designs. The artist shared that it all started when he decided that he wanted to learn this craft. "Once that decision was made, everything else felt in place. That’s probably one of my biggest talents: seeing things before they happen and believing that they become true.
I found a studio in my neighborhood that accepted me as a trainee after I showed them some of my drawings. I knew that learning the craft of tattooing would be the smallest challenge on this journey. Finding a form of expression that stands out from all the other styles was the actual obstacle."
"Three months into tattooing, I was sitting in the studio, two in the morning, preparing a design for a customer. It was a three-headed deer design that I had to prepare. The result was not satisfying, and I ended up scribbling over the paper without picking up the pen. In the end, I had an average tattoo design and a scribbled version, which was the result of my frustration.
The appointment was the next day, and when I talked to Chris, my customer, about it, he saw the scribbled design in my folder and told me that that was fantastic. 'Can I have this instead of the original design?' That's how the single-line was born.
Chris came back multiple times for more tattoos, and with him came more and more people who asked for something that ended up being part of my artistic identity. The decision I made was just to start. Everything else was believing in the decision. With this belief, everything else came at the right time," Mo told us.
Creativity is a mysterious force that drives artists to create, innovate, and push the boundaries of what's possible. But with great creativity often come great challenges. Mo shared that, after nine years, he must say that becoming an artist actually destroyed some of his creativity. "Once you have a style that you are known for, people have expectations when they hear your name. That golden cage is somehow keeping you from being totally free and creative in what you create.
In spite of everything, it is the name and the expectations that come with it that motivate me to surprise the audience with new interpretations and different views of my style."
What makes Mo passionate about tattoo art is the life that comes with it: "the freedom of choosing what project to work on, when, and how. What makes the art of tattooing special is that the canvas is alive. It has a name and a story. Only after completing the tattoo does the art become complete. The entire process of changing someone’s appearance is very special, and for me on the other end of the needle, it is a big proof of respect and trust in my work and skill. Hanging someone’s painting in your living room is one thing. Wearing his drawing on your body is a whole different story."
When talking about his future plans, Mo shared that he is a shy character who loves his quiet, private safe space, so he had declined the option of working as a guest somewhere all these years. However, lately, he caught himself thinking about this option and believes that it’s time to step out of his comfort zone and see what’s out there.
"In terms of tattoo designs, I’m aiming for a bit rougher look in the future. Not as clean and technical, more like the designs from the beginning of my journey. I’m also working on a series of drawings for an exhibition. 2023 is a busy year with lots of things in the making." So stay tuned!
