Malin Gabriella Nordin-Erik Wåhlström
Meet Homepoke, Toronto’s Anonymous Stick ‘n’ Poke Iconoclast
In 20th-century Japan, tattoos were often signs of strength for members of the Yakuza. For the Maori people of New Zealand, they symbolize social status. For many North Americans, they’re the most straight-forward way of saying “fuck you” to your parents. But if there’s one type of tattoo that embodies all these influences, it’s the original hands-on form of body artistry: the stick ‘n’ poke.
When I first heard that there was a stick ‘n’ poke studio in Toronto, I pictured a couple of pals high on mushrooms sitting under a tree giving each other Spongebob tats. This is a huge contrast to the cozy, curtained basement where artist Homepoke has set up. After garnering a devout following on Instagram and an overwhelming number of requests from people eager to let him permanently doodle on them, Homepoke realized his artwork had become more than just a hobby. He opened up shop in December.
deblacksheep
