MURKADO

What was your very first tattoo and what motivated you to get it done?

• My first tattoo was my Chinese name on my wrist. It took a long time for me to reclaim the culture I had actively suppressed for much of my adolescence. When I was 19, and about to move away from my hometown (Edmonton), I think it was significant to me that my first tattoo was the Chinese name my family had given me.

How many tattoos do you currently have? Which one was the most recent?

• I have 9 tattoos. My most recent was the scorpion on my thigh by Aiko Ortiz when she was tattooing at Black Widow Tattoo in Toronto.

What have been some of the inspirations behind the other tattoos that you have? Do you typically have an idea in mind before reaching out to a tattoo artist to get work done?

• I always try to personalize my designs. The tattoo on my chest is inspired by a Chinese panchang knot - I designed the elements around it. The switchblade on my thigh has a Chanel logo on it. For my scorpion, I was very specific about its shape and how it would follow the line of my thigh.

What type of tattoo styles have you gotten done and what do you like about those particular styles?

• I love bold, graphic, solid black, outlines with no shading. My taste in tattoos is directly related to my taste in art. Whether it be famous artists like Beardsley or local Toronto artists like Ness Lee and Michelle LeFade I always gravitate towards graphic black and white artwork.

Do any of your tattoos hold any personal meaning to you that you’d like to share?

• I have “Stay” tattooed on my ankle in blackletter font. Stay is a wish whispered into a void.
  

What were some of the most painful spots to get tattooed for you?

• The Roman numerals on the back of my neck.
  

How do you prefer to pass the time while getting a tattoo done?

• All of my tattoos have been relatively short sessions. I almost fell asleep when I got my sternum done.

Has having tattoos had any impact in your personal life (for example: having to hide tattoos at work, your family disapproving, etc.)?

• Luckily, I believe being a director gives you the allowance to fully lean into tattoos and whatever style you want. The way you present yourself as a creative person is part of how you communicate your visual language and having tattoos is part of that.
  

Do you have any favourite tattoos?

• My panchang knot on my sternum is my favorite because I like the way it pokes out of my shirts. It adds to my outfits and is an unexpected little detail for people who haven’t seen it yet.