Ink aboutink.
Adventures in tattoo tourism, told from the chair. Tokyo, Tel Aviv, Montréal, France and the lessons every session teaches a dermatologist.
French Grand Finale: Sandry 4.0
The chest and abdomen piece that once got "stolen" on Facebook by an artist claiming it as his own, and the final session in France that finished it.
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Ink Doc Gets Schooled: the Great Dane
Time with Jørgen V. Serup, arguably the leading European medical expert on tattoo inks, studio hygiene and complications.
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Going Home
A sleeve honoring the fallen, and the hostage who was never supposed to be part of it.
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Why I’m (Still) Going
Not a soldier, not an aid worker. Why a secular Jewish dermatologist still flies to Israel to get tattooed.
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S5 Challenge: Ahab and the Whale Clash North of the Border
Hipster Montréal, an unusual Airbnb and a Moby-Dick showdown inked in the Plateau.
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I’ve Got Red on Me: Tokyo 6.0 Finale
The sixth and final trip to Tokyo: fly out Wednesday after work, ink all weekend in Machida, fly home.
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Ink Doc 15: Rescued by Irezumi
An unfriendly welcome at Narita customs, and the traditional Japanese work that saved the trip.
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A Cheek for Cormac McCarthy: Steve Butcher 1 and 2
The first literary tattoo: a scene from Blood Meridian, placed somewhere memorable.
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Tokyo 4.0: an Old, New Friend
Arrive, ink, sleep, repeat. A whirlwind solo trip that turned into a real connection.
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Somewhat Unbroken
There are always risks, and only some are anticipated. What 200+ hours of ink still teaches a dermatologist.
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Channeling Kyosai: Tokyo 2.0
Everybody’s seen them. A Black Mirror’ episode, a ‘Twilight Zone’ or a schlock horror flick: some poor soul gets a hand or a set of eyes transplanted from who…
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Cold Turkey in Tokyo, or Not Totally Lost in Translation
When I first got the idea for leg sleeves in Japan I didn't know it would be an uphill battle to secure an artist.
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New York Marathon: Starting Line at Yomico’s
I'd spent months searching the Web for the right artist.
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Art in Brooklyn: Pigment on People and Paper
Scott joined me for the third Yomico installment in Brooklyn.
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Jellyfish Stings in the Big Apple: Yomico 2.0
The second visit to Meserole Street in Brooklyn was timed to coincide with Family Weekend at Yale.
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Jaime and James Get Inked: Le Puy-en Velay 2.0
Having tested the French waters and deemed Sandry probably safe, I brought my wife Jaime with me to Le Puy-en Velay the end of October.
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The French Connection: Le Puy-en Velay 1.0
I’d never actually met Sandry Riffard till I got to his studio.
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Lost in London, Fucked in France
At the start of the project, with the potential for any number of airline problems, Covid risks, navigation trickiness in Medieval European towns and more, I…
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Grand Finale in Brooklyn
It’s Thursday, April 20, and tonight we head to NYC.
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All Roundabouts Lead to Northampton
Three straight days of ink might seem excessive for a first tattoo.
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New posts and live updates from each trip land on Instagram first.