Magic Ink [1] - Magic Wave

ARTIST PROFILE
At first in Kuta, Shotonk became a temporary tattoo
artist in Matahari Mall Legian. Then he reopened his
own studio named Bulldog Tattoo in Kuta Square, but
unfortunately it only lasted for a year. After that, Shotonk
joined in Legian 64 studio, then moved to Mr. Barong,
and finally went back to Legian 64 for 7 years before he
again opened Shotonk Tattoo Studio. He decided to run
a private studio because he thought it was impossible to
work for someone else forever, also it was about time for
him learning to be responsible of his own future. Up to
now, he still keeps in touch with his old friends in Legian
64. Even when he was asked about the person who had a
big influence in his career as a tattoo artist, hard for him
to answer. “Some people have influenced me, but mostly
Agung. We became partners for quite a long time..,” he
answered.
Gede Supala
Shotonk mengenal tattoo ketika masih duduk dibangku
SMP. Karena bakat menggambarnya, seorang temannya
meminjamkan alat dan tubuhnya sekaligus untuk dijadikanmedia
belajar oleh Shotonk. “Hampir semua badannya
penuh dengan hasil gambar saya”, kata Shotonk.
Gambar kepala banteng, itulah gambar pertama Shotonk
ditubuh Kadek Suardika temannya. Jelek dan berantakan
menurutnya, tapi semenjak itu ia setiap pulang sekolah
berlatih ditubuh temannya. Setelah cukup percaya
diri, pada tahun 1998 Shotonk membuka sendiri studio
dirumahnya di Singaraja. Tapi hanya 1 tahun dan ia memutuskan
untuk pindah ke Kuta.
Awal di Kuta, Shotonk menjadi tukang tattoo temporary
di Matahari Mall Legian. Sampai akhirnya ia membuka
kembali studio pribadi bernama Bulldog Tattoo didaerah
Kuta Square, tapi sayang studio tersebut hanya bertahan
1 tahun. Setelah itu Shotonk bergabung di studio Legian
64, lalu pindah ke Mr.Barong, dan akhirnya kembali lagi
ke Legian 64 selama 7 tahun sampai akhirnya ia memutuskan
membuka studio sendiri denga nama Shotonk
Tattoo Studio . Ia memutuskan membuka studio pribadi
karena ia merasa tidak mungkin selamanya bekerja
untuk orang dan ini sekaligus dimana ia belajar untuk
lebih bertanggung jawab demi masa depannya sendiri.
Sampai saat ini ia juga mengaku masih berhubungan
baik dengan teman-teman lamanya di Legian 64. Bahkan
ketika ditanya siapa orang yang berjasa dalam perjalanan
dirinya sebgai seorang tattoo artist Shotonk kebingungan
menjawab..”banyak sih, banyak banget. Tapi si Agung
[] Magic Ink
A.K.A Shotonk D.O.B 25 Mei 1979
kayaknya berjasa banyak, kita lama banget jadi partner..”,
ujar Shotonk.
Ditengah kesibukannya sebagai artist tattoo, Shotonk
selalu menyempatkan diri untuk pulang ke kampungnya
di Singaraja dua kali dalam sebulan untuk mengunjungi
keempat buah hatinya. Sudah 3 tahun ini ia menjadi
single parent.
Diakhir obrolan dengan Magic Ink, Shotonk berpesan
kepada semua tattoo artist untuk menjaga kualitas agar
menjadikan tattoo sebgai daya tarik pariwisata, sehingga
bersama-sama memajukan seni tattoo. Sedangkan pesannya
untuk Magic Ink, agar kita bisa saling support. “Kalau
kita support orang, pasti orang juga support kita,itu
sudah ada hukum karmanya..”, ujarnya menutup obrolan
siang itu….
Shotonk started knowing tattoo when he was only a
junior high school student. Because of his drawing ability,
a friend lent him his equipment and body to be the learning
means. “Almost all over his body is full of my works,”
Shotonk said.
A buffalo head was Shotonk’s first work on the body of
Kadek Suardika, his friend. He said it was ugly and in
disorder, but he always practiced on his friend’s body ever
since. After he was confident enough, in 1998 he opened
his own tattoo home studio in Singaraja. But it was only a
year before he decided to move to Kuta.
In the middle of his activities as a tattoo artist, Shotonk
always has some time to go back to his hometown, Singaraja,
every twice a month to see his 4 children. It has
been 3 years he becomes a single parent.
And in the end of the interview with Magic Ink, Shotonk
shared his hope that all tattoo artists keeping up the
quality in order to make tattoo as one tourism attraction,
so together they can grow the art of tattoo. To
Magic Ink, he wanted us to support each other. “If we
support people, they will support us, too. There is karma
in it..,” he ended that afternoon conversation.
Shotonk Gallery
text & photo by meQ
Magic Ink []