Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/580873
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 4 OCTOBER 2015 11 News Behind Christian Stellini's favourite tattoos HELLBOY Born in Hell, summoned by Rasputin during WWII but rescued by well-meaning Allies and raised to do good, Mike Mignola's comic book anti-hero Hellboy has a very special place in Christian's heart. "This guy is a demon from hell – his origins are the vilest thing you can imagine – but he was taken away from all that and consciously chose to be good. And the more I think about this, the more interesting and poignant I find it." BERSERK "I came across this Japanese anime when I was really young, and it just grabbed me by the balls. I found the characters to be so rich – I just got lost in their stories and I felt as though I had to pay tribute to them." RED HULK (see left) Christian's full back piece is a show-stopper with a simple message. "It's all about raw power! That moment when you lose yourself in something, anything: going to a metal gig and moshing, singing your lungs out… even cooking! Sure, the Hulk is all about rage, but you could apply that energy to anything: this big, red face with flaming eyes." JOKER Christian's tribute to the Clown Prince of Crime – and Batman's arch-nemesis – is an example of how his tattoo choices are constantly evolving, and how comic book heroes and villains – effectively, representatives of a modern day mythology – offer handy ways of collating universal human concerns. "Obviously, the Joker is a total psycho, but to me he also represents an ever-shifting personality. So that got me thinking about the accompanying tattoos from the Batman canon that I eventually got: so Two-Face represents duality, Batman represents determination." Indeed, reality television shows like the hugely popular Miami/LA/ London Ink series cemented the image of tattoo artists as glamorous bohemian professionals who, apart from decorating the skin of their clients with gorgeous artwork, also serve as a sounding board for their woes, hopes and dreams. It doesn't sound too dissimilar from a session with the therapist or the parish priest, but Christian actually makes no bones about it – the bond with his long-standing tattoo artist is nothing short of "spiritual", and he describes his re- lationship with his long-standing artist of choice in those terms. "Having a strong bond with your tattoo artist is essential. It's not just about getting the tattoo done, but also about the atmosphere – chat- ting, putting on the music you both like… just creating an atmosphere of fun. This isn't just going to the hairdresser or chatting to the gro- cer – it's about creating a real bond." What advice does Christian have for prospective tattoo clients? "Don't follow fashion. Fashion comes and goes, but your tattoo is permanent. Your blood will flow past this thing until you're dead in the ground, for God's sake, so make sure you pick a tattoo that re- ally means something to you. Also – forget about small pieces, they'll always end up bothering you. Go big!" The Malta Tattoo Expo takes place at the Intercontinental Hotel conference area, St Julian's from 9 to 11 October - http://maltatat- tooexpo.com.mt