In 2019, I had the opportunity to compete at the Empire State Tattoo Expo in New York City, one of the most prestigious tattoo conventions in the United States.
Held in the heart of Manhattan, the event attracts some of the world's most respected tattoo artists from North America, Europe, Japan, and beyond. For any artist, it is a chance to showcase their work on one of the industry's biggest stages.
An International Collaboration
For this convention, I teamed up with my friend and fellow artist Igor Mitrenko from Prague.
Igor is known for his unique combination of graffiti, abstraction, and wild-style artwork. In addition to tattooing, he is a professional street artist responsible for large-scale murals and public art projects throughout Europe.
We decided to combine our strengths into a single project. Igor brought his graffiti-inspired visual language, while I focused on color realism.
The result was a tattoo unlike anything either of us could have created alone.
A Tattoo Inspired by Fashion, Trends, and Modern Culture
The tattoo was created over two full days on the client’s thigh during the convention.
At the center of the composition was a woman’s face wearing luxury sunglasses. The image appeared fragmented and torn apart, representing constantly changing trends, fashion cycles, social influence, and the nonstop flow of modern visual culture.
The design incorporated references to brands such as Louis Vuitton, Supreme, and Off-White, all of which were highly influential within luxury and streetwear culture at the time.
The project became a snapshot of an era defined by hype, fashion, and digital influence.
Two Days Under the Spotlight
Creating a large-scale tattoo live at a convention naturally attracts attention.
Throughout the event, crowds gathered around our booth to watch the collaboration unfold. Visitors photographed the process, asked questions, and followed the progress of a project that merged two very different artistic styles.
For us, it was an opportunity to demonstrate that realism and graffiti could work together to create something entirely new.
Multiple Awards During the Event
Alongside the live project, we also entered several healed tattoos into competition.
One of our previous collaborative pieces earned second place in the Large Color Tattoo category. The tattoo combined realistic imagery with vibrant graffiti-inspired elements, creating a distinctive fusion of styles that stood out to the judges.
I also entered a separate forearm and hand project featuring a highly detailed realistic snake surrounded by flames and dynamic razor-blade elements.
That tattoo received first place in the Small Color Tattoo category.
Competing Against Industry Legends
The final competition was particularly challenging.
The category included internationally recognized artists such as Robert Hernandez and Steve Butcher, both known for their exceptional color realism work.
The judging panel was led by the legendary Japanese tattoo artist Jess Yen, one of the most respected figures in modern tattooing.
When the results were announced, the competition could not have been stronger.
Winning Best of Show
In the end, our collaborative project was awarded Best of Show, the highest honor of the convention.
The victory was especially meaningful because it celebrated a tattoo that successfully combined two distinct artistic disciplines into a single cohesive piece.
Together with our client, who endured two full days of tattooing, we stepped onto the stage to receive the award.
The tattoo represented a fusion of color realism, graffiti aesthetics, luxury fashion references, and streetwear culture, brought together in one large-scale composition.
As the winner, we received the convention’s signature Empire State Building trophy, a symbol of one of the most memorable achievements of my career.
A Career Highlight
Although I have received awards throughout my career, winning Best of Show at Empire State Tattoo Expo remains one of my most significant accomplishments.
It was a project created with a close friend, built on trust, creativity, and a willingness to blend different artistic perspectives.
Experiences like this prove that some of the strongest work emerges when artists step beyond their comfort zones and create something truly original.