It was on the same day that I met Mentat Gamze that I realized that I was in front of several artists that I admired on the internet, only live. In Istanbul, Turkey, the private B A S I C ink studio is home to several fantastic tattoo artists, including Mentat herself, as well as Eva Krbdk, Baris Yesilbas, Ahmet Cambaz, Mimi Mine, Erensu Ekmekciler, Deniz, Cagri Durmaz, Vasıf Daniel Kahraman and Alican Görgü, the highlight of this post.
While tattooing myself with Mentat, I could see the precision and care for the smallest details in Alican’s work, which showed the result of his tattoos to two sisters beside him. It’s no wonder that the artist has increasingly stood out.
Alican has created a unique style on the skin: he transforms retro photographs of family, movie characters and loved ones into sensitive, minimalist and eternal memories. Check out the exclusive interview we did with him:
FTC INTERVIEW: ALICAN GÖRGÜ 1 – Tell us a little about yourself. How did you become a tattoo artist?
After my university graduation (Photography), I worked briefly in the profession I had chosen and graduated. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I wasn’t destined for that area. So I wanted and made a huge, real change in my life that would forever affect my destiny. I chose another path, which would lead me to becoming a tattoo apprentice. After training for a while, I started to improve my work and today I’m here.
2 – Your style is now unique: you immortalize memories, families/photos/people/films that others love. How did the idea start?
Since I love taking pictures and have always been very fond of movies since I was younger, I thought that immortalizing important and unforgettable memories in people’s bodies would be a fantastic and unique idea. Of course I got inspiration from some tattoo artists who already practiced this in similar styles.
3 – How do you think colors influence your work?
To be honest, the choice of colors depends on the material I work with. Sometimes it is just black or it can also have additional colors, it all depends on the photograph. I also like to talk to my clients to understand which and what type of tattoo they want. After that I can say that it is a mutual decision between both parties.
4 – How do you get inspired?
It could be a short scene from a movie, as well as a photograph that many people see as a simple memory. Inspiration can come to me in many different ways.
5 – What do you think about this moment we are living in? People are tattooing unique images, artistic works, made by illustrators/artists on their skin. I mean, it’s not just a copy, it’s original art made just for that client.
People used to choose their tattoos from a fixed catalog before. However, they have now realized that there are many other styles besides the ones they are already familiar with, and many see tattoos as their little collection. Today many want to get a drawing of a specific artist instead of getting any random tattoo from a random artist.
6 – How would you describe the style of your work?
I like to call my work minimalist retro, as it derives from and keeps the thought and strokes simple.
“It is an indescribable feeling tattooing photographs taken in different times and parts of the world. For example, I already tattooed a family portrait taken in Mexico in the 60s and another of an American family in the 80s”, says Alican Görgü.
