WEU
Mattia, aka Ueo, is a cross-border tattoo artist. He began working in Italy and then moved his studio to Switzerland. It's here that he practices his style: a revisited Japanese tattoo.

TEXT BY ANDREA PAOLI PHOTOS BY CHIARA GIANNONI

Ueo opened his tattoo studio in Chiasso, Switzerland, about three years ago. His story begins in Como, where he began tattooing in 2004. Before fully dedicating himself to Japanese tattooing, he experimented with other styles, but his experience was short-lived. Drawn to the work of Filip Leu and Mick and Luke Atkinson, Ueo threw himself into the Japanese style, which he studied for six years.

To enrich his cultural background and learn the secrets of artists, he travels and attends numerous conventions. He also avidly collects books and publications on the subject. In 2010, he managed to attend a small Japanese convention outside Tokyo, where he met a good number of local artists. Ueo typically enjoys creating large-scale tattoos, expansive works that cover the body. His are unique pieces, similar to those he used to paint on walls when he was a graffiti artist.

The subjects he tattoos aren't traditional, but rather revisited and personalized with other styles like realism and new school. His work is very similar to that of Shige, another master of Japanese tattooing whom Ueo often likes to cite.
www.ueotattoo.com
Facebook & Instagram: ueotattoo