Tattoo for Equality is a conceptual one day project kicking off this weekend, starting with over 35 tattoo artist based all over the world. We met with Monty Richthofen, who’s London-based tattoo artist, Central Saint Martins student and most importantly the organiser of the event.
Monty has been working as a freelance tattoo artist since past October. He is very free with his style and drawn’s inspiration from his graffiti background, as well as from different environments. ‘Im trying to channel my urge to create from all sort of different medium from drawing, illustration, dance to performance’.
The main idea for this project is to raise social awareness of equality, something we don’t get to see much often these days. As discrimination is rising in our everyday life experiences, we don’t try to fight it anymore, whether its exposed online on social media or in offline behaviour those artist believes that ‘Those who take action against this hatred are the real heroes of our society’.
Using benefits of social media to promote the event, it is also based around the idea of inequality present across different platforms. Monty is aiming to discuss the constant need to portray oneself on the web as ‘the most good looking people with the best bodies. I think everyone is the same, and you love people because of who they are not for who they want to be’.
-‘I have originally came up with the idea couple of months ago. It was triggered by all the things happening in Germany concerning the refugees crisis’ – he explains. The project is aiming to unify everyone who’s willing to join, in a belief that no matter who we are, we are equal to each other and should have the same rights. In Monty’s opinion, it shouldn’t decay whether we are refugees, queers if it has anything to do with ethnicity or political views. The other angle to the project is to take the opportunity of being in the position when you can give something to others and use it to make something good.
Monty is aware that he’s not going to change the world by organising this project, but then again he believes that people are usually too afraid to contribute to changes, however even something as small will unify many people around the world. ‘It’s not that I have lost faith in humanity but at the begging I wasn’t hoping for this to turn up so big. Many people associate the world Equality with different things, some would relate it to gay rights, some to refugees, but at the end of the day, it’s about everything.’
– ‘I have thought about doing it by myself and choosing a day, but then I’ve spoken with my friend Fra who’s a queer tattoo artist based in Zurich. She was super hyped and wanted to join me’ – after that, they have started to look for keen tattoo artists to take part in the project and briefly telling them about the idea. -‘ I think I got about 20 confirmations on the first day.’
They got quite a big interest and the audience amazed by the idea and wanting to participate after realising the teaser on Instagram
This international tattoo community will be making a small gesture to the ones who embrace and promote all forms of equality and love. On June 19th they will offer free services to tattoo the word equality in all different fonts, sizes, shapes and colours, ‘ there are no limitations to it’ – explains Monty Richthofen.