What intrigues and drives Jeremy Lo into the local tattoo art scene? It is his in-depth understanding of tribal tattoo patterns and symbols that inspired him to learn more. Lo, who grew up observing Dayak men with tattoos, is now an international tattoo artist whose work bears Sarawak’s name.
The man behind the needle
The silhouette of a tribal tattoo casts an abstract expression. However, beyond the shadows lies a significant symbol stemming from its indigenous origins. With over two decades of experience in the local tattoo scene, tattoo artist Jeremy Lo has always been drawn to the shapes and patterns of cultural tattoos.
Throughout his tattooing journey, he has studied the meanings of each symbol in order to better comprehend its characteristics. From flipping through various books to staying over in different longhouses, his curiosity has led him to a greater understanding of the cultural tattoos he creates.
Lo, who is 40 this year, revealed that he has always been interested in tattoos that are cultural in nature. He recalls sitting at his grandfather’s shop in town as a child, as young as eight years old, observing different Dayak men adorned with various tattoos walk in. As they greeted his grandfather, all he could do was marvel at each design while thinking about how to draw them.
“I thought to myself how much I wanted those tattoos too. Then I started to study and look at pictures and postcards. Furthermore, as I live near the museum, I would go there and try to draw the murals.
“At times I would visit my uncle’s fishing shop in Kuching Plaza; where he has a friend who operates a tattoo shop. They would take me there, and I would get excited. His studio featured various designs such as eagles and dragons,” he said.
When he was 16 years old, Lo became his school’s unofficial tattoo artist. It was then that he began playing around and putting his skills to the test.
“My friends and I would use calligraphy ink and a geometry compass needle to create a permanent tattoo. Back then, our schoolmates preferred to have tattoos of brand logos such as Superman, Spiderman, and others.”
And when they acquired the means to create a permanent tattoo, he got his first ink — a barbed wire tattoo inspired by Pamela Anderson. The following year, in 1998, his friend assembled a dynamo taken from a radio, a spoon, and other items to create a homemade tattoo machine.
Tattooing professionally
After completing secondary school, Lo began developing connections in the scene. While building a reputation for himself in the industry, Lo also trains taekwondo. Even after 21 years, he still does both tattooing while training martial arts.
By 2004, he had his own studio in Kuching Plaza, and now Monkey Studio at Green Road in Kuching. As he gained experience tattooing different people, his skills in the body art became exceptional, especially those leaning towards indigenous cultures. Having used both the traditional hand-tapping method of tattooing and the modern tattoo machine, he revealed that he was more comfortable working with the latter.
“I prefer working with a tattoo machine because it allows me to better execute my designs. To me, hand-tapping is harder to manoeuvre and is time-consuming … and when I use that method, it is usually because my client wants to experience the traditional way of tattooing.”
When asked about the challenges he faces as a tattoo artist, Lo resoundingly replied, “Back pain!”, and it is among the major issues he has.
“About five years back, I had a chronic back pain that made it impossible for me to sit well for more than an hour. Because tattooing can take several hours, I experience lower back and knee ache from sitting in a static position.
“Initially, I took painkillers to relieve the pain. But I didn’t think that was feasible. So, I started doing more exercises in the morning. I also make an effort to balance work and fitness. And now that my wife teaches yoga, I do that too. I also try to eat more healthily and take breaks between tattoo sessions,” he said.
Tattoos from the heart
Lo has many tattoos on his body that he had obtained over the years.
“I can’t tell how many I have right now. Everywhere I went, I’d get one drawn on me. Some were done in an Iban village, others in Thailand, Holland, Japan, and even England.”
He doesn’t have a favourite as it is a collection of memories that he obtained in different places from different artists.
“And I don’t usually decide on the design. I would just tell the artist what I wanted, and they would make all of the decisions. This is how I show my appreciation for the artist’s creativity,” he said.
As a tattoo artist, Lo said that each talent has their own set of capabilities. With his expertise in tribal art tattoos, he said that there is a greater appreciation for Borneo arts today compared to a decade ago.
“Back then, they used to say that whatever I was doing was reserved for the older generation. They would often come in with designs they had found on the internet. But these days, I see more people appreciate tattoos from their cultural roots, with some opting for tribal tattoos for their abstract designs.”
But, whether it’s a tribal design or an infinite symbol, Lo’s passion for tattoo-based art remains. When he is not drawing on his clients’ bodies, he would sketch tribal art on paper. Always eager to learn and understand more about the origins of these tattoos, he continues to hone his skills in the art.
