“Green and purple doesn’t go well on brown skin,” says Sheroze, speaking enthusiastically about his unique and highly underrated art-form.

While many tattooists continue to mass-produce derivative designs, Sheroze is a person who has unlearned many Western tropes in favor of more locally-relevant styles. Most importantly, Sheroze understands how to minimize the risks that come with permanent tattoos. Nobody wants to sport a botched tattoo on one’s skin for the rest of one’s life, nor can one afford to disregard the risk of infections.

Sheroze first visited Cafe Sol and iO a little over a month ago to make a video for his small but smart business. His work caught immediately caught our attention. Personally, I’ve always wanted a tattoo that reflects either my cultural values or my journey as a medical doctor, or both.

We talked for well over an hour about our individual creative journeys. Awwad and I would love to collaborate with Sheroze in future, for possibly a day of tattooing at iO.

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If you’re considering a tattoo and would like further information about the process, please fill out this short form. The artist would get in touch with you as soon as he’s able.