Horiyoshi III exhibition and new tattoos

These past few months had been very intence, not only for the daily job, but also for convention, exhibitions i took part to and exhibition i'm organizing for 2012.
On top of that, my weekly commitment to my Japanese Art History course and my yoga practice!
ok.....one thing at the time.....

Here are some pics of my last tattoos from Florence Convention (my god the food was gooooood!!!!! and the people lovely :) !!), ongoing work and my first face with spray paint on wall which im quite proud of to be honest, because ii normally do flat letters and i actually have fun with it!

Jam in Newcastle with the Girls On Top.......so good to see them !!

I did this today at Jolie Rouge, I really enjoyed it and this is one tough lady...first tattoo on ribs and she didn't flinch for 3 hours!!
Neck tattoo at Florence Convention
Forearm tattoo on Jon in Florence
Another Florence convention tattoo...have fun with this too!


Ongoing tattoo at Jolie Rouge....I'm doing more this week, no need really to post it, but i like it already! Thanx Gary, always a pleasure tattooing you...good taste and keep still all the time!!

This are some little eagles I had fun painting, i think i will sell some little prints soon so you guys can make your loved ones some nice presents! don't forget i still have some prints and scarfs for sale!.............. wink wink!

I did this one a while ago at Jolie Rouge and i really like it, just different from the usual gypsies...fun!!!



AND NOW THE HOOOOTTTTTT STUUUUFFFFFFF!!!!!


I kept it silent for months now, as any good supersticious italian would do, but I've been working on the organization of the next European exhibition of Horiyoshi III latest work. The exhibition will have a private view and opening on the 20th of March, to the public from the 21st till the 10th of July at the Somerset House in London.
The exhibition will be very different from what most would expect. There's going to be little about tattoos...well, this actually isn't true. I had been given the chance to choose a selection of pictures that will aim to give a feel of the meaning of KOKORO.
Kokoro literally means "the heart of things", and in the end it's the essence of what makes Japanese culture so unique. It always amazed me through the years how everything is so strongly linked together in Japanese art (in all of it's forms and in it's highest expression) as in the routine of daily life. There's always a recurrence of silent quaint respect and dedication in japanese art and traditional life style that it's hard to find in other cultures.
I studied and looked for years books of images and i knew that dedication, determination, focus, will power, were not the only answer or the name of "it". KOKORO is. I can't explain it with words yet properly, and i don't want just yet. The porpouse of this exhibition is to make you feel that vibration, very subtle but strong and constant, that is kokoro.
To "make you feel" there will be not only amazing photographs by Horikitsune and Horimatsu (some of them already published in Kokoro book by Kofuu-Senju Publications) but also examples of zen calligraphy by Horiyoshi III and 14 amazing kakejiku (painting on silk scroll) by the master himself. Last week I went to Alex Reinke (Horikitsune) and we opened and photographed all the scrolls and I was stunned by the beauty of them all.....so so so amazing.
For the first time we will have colour paintings too, and they are just beautiful. All the painting needs to be seen and appreciated live. NOT TO BE MISSED.
I will be posting more updates about the exhibition, so please come back......now i will spoil you with some cheeky previews of what you will be able to appreciate at the Somerset House next spring!






I just want to say how grateful i am to be working at such amazing project and I want to thank Horiyoshi III for that, and even more my friend Alex for trusting me and letting me be part of it.
I feel blessed.