A good couple of years ago Thomek came to me with the wish to get a Pe’a, or as they call it in Samoa, malofi. Since these tattoos are still deeply embedded in their culture, I asked him if he knew what he was up for. Not only the endurance and discipline to keep showing up for the appointments but also to dive into his own history and genealogy so we could incorporate this into his tattoo.
A couple of months had passed and we started on the first session, seeing Thomek return in my chair every tree to four weeks. Arduously we chipped away at the skin and after the necessary sessions the tattoo was finished. Along the way, the late Paulo Sulu’ape was well thought of. He taught me insight to the samoan malofi by means of conversing, stretching for him and by tattooing me. He was surely a master during his time.
Only a month ago we invited Thomek to get some pictures made. Well settled now after two years of finishing his tattoo, the talented Rachel took some shots for us. The photos bring back the excitement and diligence of the project from all sides. Each of us delving into their own past in order to bring out the best of each.
Thank you Thomek for your dedication and your presence. And a big thank you for helping us in the last month for getting the new studio all ready and finished.
Jeroen Franken
Other tattoos seen on the pictures are from : Jondix, Guy le tatooer, Thomas Goossens, Dave de Crom and many more
༄ click on the picture to enlarge