Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish
Every so often I come across some tattoo related news that makes me blood boil. The most recent news that I’ve come across that has got me good and pissed off is certainly nothing new here on the Tattoo Blog. Our good pal Dr. Hook has been following the case of Eric Anderson, a tattoo artist from Zipp’s Tattoo and Museum Shoppe in Edmonton, Canada, for quite some time now. Check out the Doc’s past posts about it here and here.
The long and short of it is that Anderson had his 21-year-old shop closed back in June of this year after health inspectors learned that Anderson did not keep customer records, improperly discarded needles and probably most disturbing of all, re-used unsterilized tattooing and piercing equipment on his customers. Gross. The shop was also closed down back in 2007 due to infection control and unsanitary conditions.
Well this coming Tuesday, October 27th, Eric Anderson will appear in court with 21 charges against him. He faces a maximum fine of ,000 CDN (, 935 US, £24,479 GBP) for his stupidity. His shop has since been closed.
Personally, I think that morons like this who stupidly and needlessly endanger the health and lives of the public should be banned from ever being able to tattoo again, in addition to being slapped with any other criminal charges that are applicable. Not only is Anderson potentially spreading disease through his lazy, idiotic ways, but he’s also completely destroying the responsible and credible image that professional tattoo artists have to work so hard to uphold. What’s more, Whyte Avenue, where Zipp’s tattoo shop was located, is the most trendy area in the city of Edmonton. It’s not some obscure, dirty back alley somewhere. So when tattoo shops in heavily trafficked areas like this one get a bad image, where do all the good tattoo artists have left to go to in order to give their business credibility?
No doubt about it, an example needs to be made of Eric Anderson. Here’s hoping that come Tuesday he gets everything that’s coming to him.
Tags: Dislike, edmonton, eric anderson, Health Risks, health violations, News, whyte avenue, Workforce, zipp’s tattoo and museum shoppe
Meet Niko!
Whenever I hear the name Niko, I automatically think of the husky sounding European chanteuse from the Velvet Underground. This is a mistake. First of all, that’s Nico not Niko, and second of all, this Niko is far more likely to give you a kick ass tattoo than to sing you a mid sixties experimental rock song.
Yes, Niko is a tattoo artist and a great one at that. As owner of Kustom Tattoo in Paris, France, Niko has been working as a tattoo artist for the past 14 years. If you’re the sort of person who likes a good skull tattoo, then Niko is your man. Not to say that Niko can only do skull tattoos, but he is particularly fond of the Memento mori, which is Latin for “Remember you will die.” The Memento Mori is an art genre which is intended to remind people of their own mortality, while also showing them the price that will be paid in the afterlife if they break the commandments and rules of their religion. Memento mori artwork is seen in everything from paintings to sculptures, to gravestones and now tattoos as well. It has been around for centuries.
If all that sounds a little grim, that’s because it is. But hey, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t beautiful too. Niko’s tattoo work certainly takes on a dark sort of beauty that isn’t bogged down by cliches. The human skull has got to be one of the most widely tattooed images in the world, yet Niko’s careful and precise work makes it look fresh and original each time.
In addition to the Memento mori work, Niko also does Japanese and Cholo style tattoos. His work in these tattoo genres is certainly worthy of a look. I also can’t forget to mention that beyond his tattoo work, Niko paints and has also designed graphics for skateboard decks. If you live in Paris, or are planning a vacation there in the near future, stop by Kustom Tattoo and see Niko’s work for yourself first hand.
Tags: cholo, france, Inspired, Japanese, Japanese, kustom tattoo, memento mori, nico, Niko, paris, Pictures, skateboard decks, Tattoo Artists, Tattoo Pictures, the velvet underground, Workforce
