Coal

“Old people chatting in bars, the bustle of flea markets, a freshly baked tarte au maroilles, an old spiral staircase, 1920s architecture, youths racing their cars in car parks…” Multimedia artist is constantly inspired by the life that surrounds him. Whether that surrounding life speaks French, or Spanish, or any language at all, doesn’t seem to bother Carlo, who has lived in and traveled to almost 25 different countries in the past two decades. “It’s impossible not to be inspired. Through travel, I’ve expanded my curiosity, mind and perspective, and where I found my passion for art, architecture and culture.” As he moves from place to place, Carlo ties each new destination to its own project: from digital collages in Spain, to metal sculptures in Mexico, to murals in Portugal, to tattoos in Paris. Each new type of canvas challenges Carlo to expand or contract his vision, but his artistic approach remains the same. “The magic of art is appreciating the lack of barriers and obstacles, and embracing a complete freedom of expression. Small canvases ask me to synthesize a maximum -- ‘Less is more’. But the cool thing about big walls is that they’re great for experimenting and collaborating with other artists. Every moment and every style has its own gratification, but it’s all still connected by the same idea of minimalism.” But, for Carlo, art does not exist in a vacuum, or only for arts’ sake. Rather, the act of creating and being creative allows for deeper, stronger, and more meaningful relationships to be built among the surrounding community, even between people that already have deep connections. “Tattooing my mum was epic! She doesn’t like tattoos and never thought about having one herself, so this was a big moment. Tattooing my mum was like a peaceful ritual between her and me. As a kid, there was always painting all over the house, so it was cool to come full circle. At the end of the day, the most important thing about art is sharing and connecting with people.”
〰️ Interviewed by Coal 〰️ - Request in your city on wearecoal.com/carloamen {link in his ‘Request me’ highlight} - @ Paris, France

Email .katya to book your spot :
[email protected]

@ Lisbon, Portugal

“Sailing in the Mexican sea, near Oaxaca, I once released a sea turtle. Legend tells if you ever come across a sea turtle and release it, you will be granted a wish… At least, that’s what a sailor told me.” Whatever wish made will remain a mystery, but clearly she has been blessed with an exceptionally creative eye and has developed the technical prowess to match. Tata’s work is both uniquely contemporary and steeped in indigenous Mexican cultural heritage, providing a singular perspective on celebrating cutting-edge progress while reclaiming shared histories. “I have found a deeper connection to my own culture in the deconstruction of the pieces I make in the ever-changing process of transforming a hand-made craft into a tattoo. Something in my heart aligns when what I live and what I portray in my tattoos is as beautiful as what surrounds me.” In a world that undervalues handmade and home-made in the face of factory perfection, the act of crafting as a means of cultural preservation is revolutionary. By bringing the textures and patterns of traditional Mexican crafts into the tattoo industry, Tata is one of the artists spearheading this movement and redefining what a tattoo can be. “We trap ink into our skin in the shape of things we love, things we want, things that scare us or motivate us. We make our dearest and most important things in life into images we can keep in sight so we never forget who we are. We take whatever we find beautiful in life and keep it with us forever. I am in love with all of this.”
〰️ Interviewed by Coal 〰️
- Request in your city on wearecoal.com/tabatattoo {link in her bio} - @ Guadalajara, Jalisco

“I remember the first time I sat in front of a model; That adrenaline mixed with respect is a deeply meaningful moment. Someone is giving themselves completely, literally un******ng in front of you. Curiously, something very similar happens when I’m tattooing. It is a moment where something entirely unique is happening, and it is my responsibility to capture something interesting and meaningful.” The works of .alcolumbre revolve around figure studies, using different bodies in many different positions to convey the connection between our physical and emotional selves. Far from still life, Sabrina’s pieces hold deep emotions -- sometimes complete inner peace, sometimes relief in the arms of a loved one, sometimes even chaotic unrest -- that make the images feel as though they are in constant flux, growing and changing with the bearer of the tattoo. “It is so easy to obtain photos on the internet these days, so working with models in person, with an image that is being generated in that very moment, brings energy and meaning to the work. I work with incredible models. When one of them finds a pose full of feeling, it moves me, and if I manage to bring some of that emotion to the paper, then the piece has a soul.”
〰️ Interviewed by Coal 〰️
- Request .alcolumbre in your city on wearecoal.com/sab.alcolumbre {link in her bio} - @ Buenos Aires, República Argentina