First time I met Delphin Musquet As Giorgio de Duesanti inked him at a Californian festival in 2019, he lay on his stomach in agony, while he was still lying down at the portable desk.
Duesanti is part of the resident team. Sang Bleu A well-known brand with a studio in London, Zurich and Los Angeles. Musquet Established within the London shop since the last couple of years. Started tattooing in 2017, self-taught artist, who puts a high priority on his drawing skills to raise his tattoo art. Abstract Delphin Musquet He is well-known for his fascination with iconography from the past century. A modern tattoo machine can ink intricately sacred skulls, hearts and swallows.
Your body is heavily tattooed. When did you get your first tattoo?
After I turned 17, I got my first tattoo. Since I was 17 years old, I’ve wanted to get tattooed. My mom insisted that I wait until I was 18, so I waited and did the tattoo two weeks prior to my 18th birthday. It’s hard to imagine me without my tattoos.
You have ever persuaded your mom to get inked.
Three years ago my mother forced me to ink her. Because I was afraid of making her feel bad and then make a mistake, it wasn’t something that I wanted to do. But we did it anyway and she is now begging for another.
Your family grew up in France, the Caribbean Islands and other European countries. How were your childhood experiences?
Since childhood, I have been an active kid. I could not stay put in any one spot. My dad and mother used to take me on hikes and sports with them. Growing up mostly in the countryside, it was great! I felt like a wild animal. (Laugh).
How did you get started in tattooing?
It is my passion. I had been heavily tattooed long before I began tattooing. My friends and I tattooed each other for the fun of it.
Why and when did you decide to move to London?
It was eleven years ago that I first moved to London. It was my desire to see the world as a young person and to be able to experience new cultures. Traveling is food for the mind, which I believe has been my belief since childhood. You just have to look around in order to find yourself (i.e. for self-discovery).
London is my favorite city in Europe. This city offers incredible opportunities. Because this city offers so much, it is not just a capital, but also a variety of cultural experiences.
Watch Musquet adding swallows onto his client’s back.
Work at the well-respected Sang Bleu Tattoo London. Were you invited to the studio by whom?
It was only a week before I went guesting in the shop. Funny enough, I was invited to the shop only one week later. Sang Bleu of Zurich I was invited by the shop manager there. A month later, I was happy to travel to London!
You can either create art by drawing or memory.
Many of my tattoos require me to draw. Mixing both is how I keep my work sane.
References to antique imagery are something I enjoy; they could come from photos, old books or even furniture engravings.
Your work has influenced prison tattoos, but I imagine them as more refined and European. Are you right?
I’m not influenced by anything. French prison tattoos were a big influence on me for a while. I found myself in these tattoos a lot. Many people start tattooing because they want to find their tattoo identity. My tattoo was inspired by French prison tattoos. My primary interest is timeless art. This could include architecture, painting, tools or something similar. It is amazing how antiques don’t get old or changed in fashion. With my art, I try to recreate the same feeling; I strive to make something timeless. This art will not fade or become outdated and it is not tied to any one time.
Do you collect antiques?
I once collected a lot, but I gave up. I collected coins, knives and any other religious stuff I could find. When I was younger, I didn’t leave churches without taking some with me.
You weren’t concerned about being caught by police?
It was innocent and not at all. It was my passion to collect.
There have been many tattoos of religious symbols. It was suggested by the client. Did you find inspiration in those Sundays at church?
Two common themes are religious tattoos. After all, they are the way that I imagined and was inspired to do them over the years.
Your skills as a tattooist are combined with your ability to be a professional photographer. Please tell me about how you got here and which session was your favorite.
London is definitely London. You will find anything in this city, whether you expect it or not. You will meet someone who finds you attractive, offer you a job as a model, and then you can get another two jobs that could lead to more. You’ll feel confident about yourself, even if you don’t have the confidence. This taught me how to relax in front of the camera.
Dr. Martens is the best budget- and exposure-wise. The setup took place over two days and was huge as more than 10 models were simultaneously shot and each one individually. My face was seen everywhere from billboards in Tokyo to tube stations in London, unexpectedly. Waiting for the double-decker bus was really strange. The bus arrives three times larger than you! It is difficult to avoid it.
You even have your very own line of apparel.
Yes, that’s what it is called Sans Patrie Built on the French Prison Tattoo aesthetics, this culture was first created by prisoners and deserters in the early 20th century. So the art is raw and poetic. We want to capture these emotions in the clothes. This brand was inspired from the 50s by French convicts as well as French workers.
