Silo is a female tattoo artist who works from Aro Tattoo Studio in Itaewon, Seoul, an area of South Korea. Because tattoos are very controversial in Korea and are looked down on by many in South Korean society, tattoo artists often choose not to advertise their shops, instead relying on word-of-mouth referrals from previous customers. Silo takes bookings for tattoos via her email address, [email protected], and does not have a website for her art or her tattoo studio for the same reason that she chooses to use a nickname; Silo, instead of her real name. This is because while tattoos are not illegal in South Korea, the law states that tattoo artists must have a medical degree in order to give tattoos, and tattooists who do not have a medical degree are fined. Most tattoo artists don’t have a medical degree, and so they accept the occasional fine for practising their art. Unfortunately, this often adds to the cost of getting a tattoo in South Korea.
Silo’s tattoos are unmistakably feminine in that their subject matter is based on delicate displays of flowers, which are tattooed in a non-threatening style. Delicacy, elegance and pacifism are human traits that are associated with women. Tattoo artist Silo’s tattooed posies often look as though they have been carefully painted onto the skin, instead of indelibly inked into the skin itself. Her gentle style, which is most frequently tattooed onto female clients, is in direct opposition to the common misconception in South Korea that only gangsters and criminals wear tattoos, and that tattoos only symbolise violent and oppressive ideas. Silo’s tattoos symbolise the sweet freshness of spring, the blossoming excitement that is felt when starting something new and the optimism felt by those who fill their lives with colour and beauty.
Use Silo’s email address, [email protected] to book your flower tattoo with her, or follow her Instagram account to get regular updates from this talented artist. Learn more about flower tattoos here on RattaTattoo.