The travelling canvas

Who would have imagined that Alok Nath, known to have the image of a sanskari man, sports a tattoo on his arm depicting his zodiac symbol, Cancer. Tattoo artist Vikas Malani, who inked Nath believes that anyone can get a tattoo. And it is not just Nath. Malani's team even made a tattoo for Priyanka Chopra on her back for a movie. His work graces the skin of several Bollywood stars, politicians and cricketers — Anushka Sharma, Dhoni and Fardeen Khan, to name a few. Even after brushing shoulders with them, Malani comes off as grounded, humorous, focussed and very passionate about what he does. 

Usually, professionals who have ventured far and deep into the art of tattooing, have a number of tattoos on their body. But we, surprisingly, noticed just two tattoos, peeking out from the folds of his shirt. The one on his right arm reads ‘My mother is my God’ while the left reads ‘My body is the temple of my God.’

His tryst with sketching and doodling began during his college days. He recollected how he used to draw murals and paint but without satisfaction. “One day somebody asked me to make a design on their hand using a pen. I enjoyed that moment very much. The idea that my artwork will travel to places like a travelling canvas made me instantly want to become a tattoo artist,” he reminisced. Since then he has not looked back.

There is an interesting term he uses for his clients. He calls them his “moving canvasses.” “My clients are my advertisers. They are my travelling canvasses who bring in more customers. They come looking for a personal touch and warm treatment that my work embodies,” he explained.The artist harbours a compassionate soul, steeped in spiritual and liberal ideas. When he is at work, the needle he wields becomes an extension of his soul. He transfers a part of his consciousness into the design that he etches into the skin and that is what makes his work distinct from his contemporaries. “My philosophy is to forge emotional bonds and ink tattoos that have a story ingrained in them,” he explained. 

Body Canvas, an endeavor which Malani started in 1998 has a vision and a mission that goes beyond that art. It is not restricted to just inking. “When I started in 1998 I never thought that I would attain such heights. Through Body Canvas I want to elevate tattoo artists and change the stereotypical perception that society regards them with. I want to turn this artistic expression into a full fledged industry so that it is respected and appreciated as a viable profession,” said Malani. 

Though he is the CEO and founder of the studio he works as a regular salary man and re-invests the surplus into the business or in some other venture that promises to further help and aid the artists. He told us that he does not want to become the greatest artist because then, there will be no scope for growth. “I always want to be in the process of learning, evolving and contributing to the tattoo industry,” he said. 

Malani’s inspiration comes from traveling to exotic destinations that offer different cultural experiences and interpretations. “I love to travel because that helps me learn all kind of things. Going out and meeting people belonging to different cultures, has helped me grow not only as an artist but also as a human being,” said Malani, who is best known for his designs which incorporate geometrical illustrations, mandalas, chakras, auras of energy and tribal motives like maori. “I love to do traditional tattoos — tribal in particular. There is an ethereal charm in the lines and forms of the tribal art that you find in different countries,” explained the artist.

Talking about the past, present and future of the said art in India, Malani explained that in India, tattoos are still considered as a taboo. There is a whole separate debate over sterilisation, too, he said. “But today things are different. Quality equipments are being used — some places even use organic inks. Just like the treatment you get in a private hospital is worlds apart from the treatment that you receive in public hospital, there are experienced and skilled tattoo artist who would treat your skin with the utmost care. Then again, you would also find wannabes who wouldn’t think twice before using a stale needle. There are many options; one just needs to find the right person for the job.” 

According to him there is a lack of government bodies regulating the use of needles and equipment. He believes that the situation is not going to change until people break out of their ignorant shells. “People need to realise that it is not a shady money making profession but an expression of art that needs to be protected and promoted,” he added.

We could guess that Body Canvas has a niche customer base and Malani did not shy away from confirming it, either. We come to know that the studio caters to the elite class because only people who can afford the premium price can avail the service. 

Malani and his team just do not paint anything and everything that a customer requests. “When a customer comes here for the first time with a fair idea of what kind of tattoo they want, we try to understand the reason why the person wants to get the particular design tattooed and whether that person has a deep connection with it. If not, together we try to find an alternative concept that involves an in depth discussion of about three to four hours. The final design is something that the customer feels confident about and wouldn’t regret having on their bodies, 30 to 40 years down the line,” Malani pointed out.