TimeOut

A visit at the Tattooing temple: Mo's shop

 

It may not be appointed by the Queen but without any doubt, the Family Business Tattoo shop of our friend Mo Coppoletta is a place to visit ! Located in the eastern part of London, not very far from St Pancras station, the shop has an unique and warm  atmosphere thanks to its interior design and of course, its main purpose: to be the place where you can meet the best Tattooing artists and get one of their works on your own skin.

We all know that Tattooing is much more than a simple drawing: it is a true lifestyle! Of course, everybody has his own taste about Tattoo: you may want a very discrete tattoo or a huge one which covers the main part of your skin... in any case, the skills of the artist is a key point even for a very small tattoo. Don't forget that you will live with it!

The shop has a clear will: to propose creative tattoos, it is the reason why it gathers several artists who have different cultures, different backgrounds but the same talent. To achieve this goal, the process of decision-making is essential. An appointment is required to spend time with the artist, to discuss about the pattern, the place to locate it, the colors and so on... then the artist draws a sketch and the customer gives his agreement, the green flag to start the tattoo session. Some can be made quite quickly even if it is never a minor act. Some may require more than 30 or 40 hours of work. Patience is a virtue in that case!

The shop was created in 2003 and quickly has become one of the most famous Tattoing places in London with clients from any place of the world.

Mo's italian influence can be felt in the design of the entrance. You will notice the mix between Roman catholic iconography and the warm colors like red or yellow. The waiting room is located on the right side of the entrance   which is separated from the workplace with wood panelling. So before entering the workplace for the appointment, you are already dived into this comfortable atmosphere: it is a key point. As I said before, a tattoo is not a minor act: so you have to be clear in your mind, sure about your decision and this relaxed context helps a lot.

So ready to enter the Tattooing temple ?

The entrance:

Chris and David:

The superb atmosphere of the workplace:

Sketches:

Paintings:

The sketches are combined with the Roman catholic iconographic to create this unique context:

Silence please! Mo at work ! This tattoo is huge and requires a lot of skills:

If you wish to learn more about Mo's shop and the other artists, I highly recommend the book: "Tattoed by The Family Business" edited by Pavilion.

Thanks a lot for the warm welcome from Mo and all the team of the shop, I won't forget my visit there: it was a true pleasure for me to discover this world, totally unknown to me.

Fr.Xavier