Inking away to glory! India’s Abhinandan Basu on making it to top 100 global tattoo artists & more

Image courtesy: www.instagram.com/Abhinandan Basu (Obi)

Abhinandan Basu or “Obi” as his tattooing signature is called, is one of the three Indian artists who have been featured in ‘The World Atlas of Tattoo’, published by Yale University Press. The book brings together 100 best tattoo artists from around the world of which Abhinandan (Kolkata),  Mo Naga (Nagaland) and Manjeet Singh (Delhi) are from India.

The author of the book, American tattoo Historian, Anna Felicity Friedman, wanted to include artists from all over the world, who represented many kinds of tattooing cultures and styles, many of which haven’t been given enough prominence. Indian tattooing tradition seems to be one of them. But the anonymity stops here, as these three artists have brought the Indian tattooing culture to the international platform.

Image courtesy: yalepress.yale.edu
Image courtesy: yalepress.yale.edu

Folomojo got the opportunity to speak to one of these artists, 30-year-old Abhinandan Basu from Kolkata, who had interesting insights to give about his own career as a tattooist and the field on the whole.

Read the full interview below:

1. When did you start tattooing and what inspired you to become a tattoo artist?

I began tattooing in the end of December, 2007. I was studying in Ramaiah College in Bangalore and got my first tattoo done there and that’s when I knew that I wanted to be a tattoo artist and nothing else. My friends, who are tattoo artists as well, have another job and manage both, but I never got into a conventional job and have been tattooing ever since.

2. When did you start your own studio?

I never did. I have not had one, though for a while I had a private studio in Calcutta where I worked. But after that I have been traveling around, tattooing on the go. Initially I went to Bombay where I studied tattooing for two years and then Pune and eventually have been traveling to Europe too.

Image courtesy: www.instagram.com/Abhinandan Basu (Obi)
Image courtesy: www.instagram.com/Abhinandan Basu (Obi)

3. Your specialty is dot work? Can you tell us more about it? And any other style of work you are coming up with?

I began two styles. The first was the full color dot work mandala in which I have modified conventional dot work, which is influenced by both western and eastern cultures. I have used sacred geometry in this type, to create certain optical illusions.

dotwork linework mandala style | Image courtesy: www.facebook.com/Abhinandan BASU aka OBI
Dotwork linework mandala style | Image courtesy: www.facebook.com/Abhinandan BASU aka OBI

The other and the more recent one, is the Bongo style which takes after Bengali folk art. I have adapted these designs and made them tattoo-able. I am also working on portrait style tattooing, based on half-tones.

4. What was your initial reaction when you found out you have been featured amongst top artists in the field?

I am very happy about it because this brings international focus on Indian styles of tattooing. In fact, many a times, people abroad were surprised to know that we tattoo in India and it exists in our country too. So, not many know that the art flourishes in India too.

Also I am under no illusion that I am one of the greatest tattoo artists; there have been many others. And I believe art has no rank. Even the two others artists from India, Mo Naga and Manjeet, are my friends. In fact I got a tattoo done myself by Mo Naga 2 weeks ago and I think both of them are great artists.

5. What opinion do people outside of India have about Indian designs? Do they like them?

To tell you the truth, they like our tattoo designs more than we do here. They are appreciative and love to be tattooed in our style and always look towards the East with awe. It’s the same with us, we tend to imitate and be fascinated by them. But, there is a lot in Indian tattooing to experiment as it offers a versatile range. There is no use imitating; we have to create our own style.

Image courtesy: www.facebook.com/Abhinandan BASU aka OBI
Bongo style | Image courtesy: www.facebook.com/Abhinandan BASU aka OBI

6. What is the Indian attitude towards tattooing? Have you faced any resistance to the tattooing culture in India?

India is a country within a country. Probably if you go to a village, tattooed all over, you might not be welcomed, but urbanites have taken to tattooing and have embraced it like never before. When I started out in 2007, everything from getting supplies to setting up a studio was difficult, as not many were aware of these things.

But now all this has changed and you get your tools within 2 days and a lot more people have taken to the system. So there has been a huge change in a short time. And I have personally faced no resistance in India from any quarter.

Well that’s great news for upcoming tattoo artists in the country and India is proud of the three who have already made it to the top and taken another form of Indian art to the international podium!

Also read:

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