My Shanghai

With a green mohawk and a face full of more metal than your average cutlery drawer, and a habit of stabbing people rapidly and rubbing ink into their wounds, tattoo artist Zhuo Dan Ting is a magnet for the cool-hunting Shanghai media. But now she's getting tired of holding up the half of Shanghai's alternative scene that isn't supported by Dan Shapiro's moustache. TALK asked her about media stardom over the whine of her tattoo gun. With each answer she stopped tattooing, prolonging the suffering of a poor client having the outline of a huge dragon tattooed onto his back.

So why do you think you get so much media attention?
Beijing has a number of strange scenes that are thriving. Shanghai just doesn't have them. People don't come here for culture - they come here to make money.

What are the most annoying questions journalists have you asked you?
How much is a tattoo? When people point at the wall and ask, where'd you get that from?

Yeah, we can be pretty unoriginal, but we're not the only ones! What are the lamest tattoos you get asked to do?
I hate it when people ask for the same stuff. Some celebrity gets a tat done, and then everyone wants it. One of the least original tattoos to ask for is a boyfriend or girlfriend's name. Another thing that bugs me is when people get their first tattoo, and they're afraid to get a big one so they ask me to make one so small you can't see it properly.
Tattoos are best when they express their owners' personalities.

What's the best reason you've heard to get a tattoo?
This Australian guy came in with his mum to get a tattoo in honour of his brother, who had just died. He asked me to design a pair of wings to tattoo on his back. I drew it up and the guy siad 'Yes! That's just what I wanted'. Then he asked me to draw his brother's signature. I drew it and they said it looked just like the brother's. They said it was [putting on a Darth Vaderesque bass] 'Destiny!'

Where do you like to kick it in Shanghai?
I like listening to bands at Live Bar. Second Hand Rose are great, and I like older Chinese bands. Most of them are too commercial these days though. P.K.14's lyrics are so obvious - times are changing, people are getting richer, all that sh*t.

So what music are you into?
I like pretty much all heavy metal: Metallica, Pantera - oh, and Carcass are tebie hao.

What about the art scene here - does it help inspire your designs?
I don't like Shanghai artists. My ideas come from everywhere else: books, the internet, and when people come in to get a new tattoo, I'm scoping out their old ones.

You're from Harbin originally. What's most different about living in Shanghai?
The way people think here is really different. They're much more open to things than in Harbin.

Where's Shanghai's most authentic Dong Bei food?
Dong Bei Ren is my favorite. There are a couple of dishes that are the same as in Harbin - like the spare ribs with kidney beans (pai gu dun dou jiao). The serving sizes aren't the same though. In Harbin the dishes are huge.
[With her forearms sheathed in blue plastic, and her hands still in white surgical gloves, Ting pulls out a pen and starts sketching more of the dragon over the customer's shoulder.]

Hey, you have the same pen as me.
It's Destiny!

Bella interviewed Ting to help introduce tattoos to the Shanghai masses.

Check out this great documentary made about Zhuo Danting, our artist, for Current TV. The movie was produced by Ukachi at Bus Boy Films and is now being shown on American TV!

Come here, and let ink meet skin.

With green mohawk, ear piercing, chin piecings, those marvelous tattoos coming out of her sleeves, Ting is definitely the type of person you would never miss on the street. However, in anther place, such as an underground concert where punks gather to party, or in Ting's own tattoo store, no one would say a word about her appearance. Lately, Ting has also shown up in I-D Magazine, an international style bible that has been applauding the global underground for generations. In that magazine, I am sure that her appearance won't cause a riot.

Although the tattoo artist is the main player in any tattoo store, if you want a tattoo you should consider the standards of hygiene, the studio should meet basic requirements in equipment and hygiene. When these conditions are all fulfilled, the tattoo artist's technique and skills, her art background, her understanding of tattoos, even her personality (cool or not) all become the key points of a tattoo artists, and those are the factors which can make the clients like her and trust her.

Ting studied tattoos herself at the beginning. Her first time coming into contact with tattoos was the time when she was getting one herself. Being considered The Best Tattoo Artist in Shanghai so far, Ting has spent 6 years altogether working on it. Since the beginning she was just interested----her drawing background makes her become an excellent tattoo artist. However, tattoos are not just drawing, skin is a kind of canvas which is different from any other types of material, moreover, skin could possibly turn red, dry, and have pimples, freckles, wrinkles…that is the most challenging canvas ever, and more importantly they stay with you for life.

Therefore, a tattoo artist like Ting who has a deep understanding and good art background should surely be called successful. Ting's tattoo store is a business for sure, but she is trying to spread the culture of tattoos as well. It is easy to tell as she answers all questions with great patience. In this world there are always people who never thought to change their bodies, but there are another group of people who have to explore the relationships between their inner selves and the world by changing their looks, and these people will easily become Ting's friend. They will get to know each other in this world, and everyone's skin will have the marks from when skin met ink.

The suggestions from the Editor: Artistic tattoos are Shanghai Tattoo's speciality, if you need some special design just get in touch with Ting.The most creative place: When you are experiencing the process of tattoos which is pain and pleasure in this small cozy room, Ting's boyfriend Dylan who is also the designer of the Shanghai Tattoo website he always plays music, from David Bowie to Metal, they have all kinds of music, which will help a lot to relieve the pain.Comments: " The tattoo Ting designed for me was just what I always wanted and that's indescribable in any words." Relaxing Space: It may not be "Relaxing", but you will have a different mood when you are sitting on that chair getting tattoos by Ting for a few hours (depends on the size of the tattoo).The Best Time: Shanghai Tattoo is only open in the afternoon and night, so you better call to make an appointment before you go.

Text From The Article:

China is both an ancient and an emerging nation becoming westernised faster than you can say skyscraper, while google remains censored.

Culturally, China was once a wallflower on the international stage, but no more. The country is becoming a player for modern art, film and now fashion. Plucking Japan's crown as the Eastern queen of street style, Shanghai's new generation are just as look-at-me as Tokyo's Harajuka Girls. Check out the world's newest street kids.

Zhuo Dan Ting, 24 [sic... she's 26]

Occupation: Tattoo Artist

What are you wearing?
Looking like this gets lots of attention in Shanghai. People have no idea about tattoos here, so I get asked really basic questions like "Can I clean them off?"

What's the best thing about being young in Shanghai?
More and more young people are breaking away from the old conservative ways to live life how they want.

The first time I saw Ting’s photo was in a forum of a website. After I clicked it, I saw a very modern girl with a green Mohawk, three piercings on her lips, and many tattoos on her neck and arms. A friend of mine who is very interested in tattoo art told me that she is a famous tattoo artist who many people have been talking about in Shanghai. I came to her tattoo store with out of curiosity one day. It is located behind Xintiandi, the name of her store is called “Wen Yi Fu Xing” (Tattoo Renaissance). Apparently it has the courage to break with traditions, like the owner herself.

Ting is originally from Haerbin, and she is one of those typical northern girls with open and strong personality. She has sparkling eyes, answering every single question smiling. You can never find pretentiousness in her. Apart from her dressing and hairstyle, she is just a normal cute Chinese girl. “I don’t want to pretend to be cool, get attention, or anything, all my tattoos, piercings, and punk outfit are what I truly like. I just want to be myself.”

Ting is very persistent about what she is doing. 6 years ago, when Ting was still studying in college in Haerbin, she already planned to get a tattoo on her left arm. When a tattoo artist was actually giving her tattoo on her left arm, her first reaction was “Tattoos are easy, it’s just painting on skin with needles.” That could never frustrate Ting, because she has been studying painting since she was a little kid. Ting already made up her mind “I want to be a tattoo artist” after that tattoo artist just finished a draft on her arm. Therefore, she went to several well-known tattoo artists at that time, studying the good skills from them. After more and more experiences of giving tattoos and studying there, she found out that giving tattoos is not simple at all. Besides the basic drawing skills, you also need many skills of using needles and good designs. As Ting is more and more experienced, she decided to turn tattoos into a serious career. Ting said: “In the begining I never planned to make money from tattoos, afterwards, I found out doing what I truly like and making money at the same time is not bad, so why not?”

Ting has always had a good feeling about Shanghai, so one year ago, she came here to explore her business. After some research, she decided to set her tattoo store at Xintiandi---a quiet place in the centre of the city. Now when she looks back, she said she did not choose a wrong place. “I love Shanghai” Ting said, “here people can have more space to develop whatever they are good at, and Shanghainese are more able to accept new things. For instance, when I show friends here my tattoos, they say: ‘Wow! They are beautiful, where did you get them’, when I was at home, people would ask: ‘Why do you do this?’ They didn’t understand me."

During the last 6 years, Ting has given uncountable tattoos. She said very happily: “The most interesting part of my job is giving permanent marks to people, and they will never forget me for the rest of their lives."

Before I met Ting I thought of, as her name suggests, a traditionally pretty Chinese girl. After one look at her photos on her website however, showed me she is totally different. I couldn't find a bit of traditional Chinese beauty in her. With a green mohawk, three piercings on her chin and lips, all kinds of beautiful tattoos on her neck and arms, she looks like she's fighting the norm with every weapon she has! She certainly didn't look like she was going to give me the usual old interview, it whet my appetite for things to come. Apart from her rebellious looks, most importantly this 25 year old girl from the north of China is already a famous tattoo artist.

Zhuo Danting (Ting) is originally from Harbin. One year ago, Ting and her boyfriend moved to Shanghai and opened a tattoo store called Shanghai Tattoo, her tattoo store is located right behind the famous Xin Tian Di area of Shanghai. Her boyfriend, Dylan Byrne, comes from Ireland. They met in Harbin and quickly fell in love with each other. By the time we got to the store, Ting was not there, Dylan was chatting with some friends in the front yard. He warmly greeted us in fluent Chinese, and told us to wait a bit for Ting. From the very beginning, this interview had a very relaxing atmosphere.

Ting's store is not that big, but with a really cool Logo, it is still very easy to find on the busy Zi Zhong Rd. Just like Ting, you can't help stealing a few looks again and again. The decoration in her store is quite arty; her own tattoo works are hanging all over the walls. It's easy to see all the equipments and tools in her studio are all quite professional, everything there seems in order.

After I met Ting, her appearance is exactly the same as she looks in those photos, the impression she gave me was totally different from what I had imagined before. She was wearing a man's T-shirt, (she laughed and said she stole it from her boyfriend) while we were talking; she also showed me her one off Spiderman sneakers, and she seemed really excited. I thought a girl who looks so extremely different must be really hard to get close to, actually she is the total opposite, her northeastern open personality makes people feel relaxed and I warmed to her instantly.

Although she and her tattoo store have only been in Shanghai for less than a year, they have already won a good reputation. Many people have come for tattoos because they heard of her fame, including artists, white-collar workers, university students, and foreigners from all over the world. In her words, her store is just like the "United Nations". She is delighted that her store has become so international. In the three years she was in Harbin, her tattoo store had a pretty good business, but the customers were not as various as in Shanghai. The customers in Shanghai are more open-minded, which really comforts her. Because that means tattoos have been accepted by more and more people. It has become a new fashion for young people to show their personality and uniqueness.

Of course, many people come here because of her excellent skills. Ting has been studying painting since she was a little kid, which gives her a solid base for her tattoo skills. Meanwhile, the talent she was born with also gives her a lot inspiration for creating tattoos. She tattoos with the principle: cherish every inch of customers' skin as if it was your own. She designs most of the tattoos in her store. She can designs tattoos according to the customers' appearance and personality, each one has to be as unique as the client. When she works, she concentrates 100%; sometimes she can't hear what other people are saying to her. Every single tattoo gives her a very strong sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.

Ting likes Shanghai, because there are so many fun places to go to. When she is free, she likes to go to bars in Xin Tian Di with her boyfriend. She also likes nice food, like Japanese food and Hunan dishes. She loves many bands as well, such as: Sex pistols, the clash, Carcass, Pantera, Slipknot. But what does she love most about Shanghai? That's easy, loads of people want to get tattoos.

The neon-flamed front of Shanghai Tattoo looks odd opposite the shiny steps of Richgate but this relatively new tattoo parlour is gaining a reputation as the best in the city. Impeccable standards of hygiene help the cause, and a medical advisor monitors the studio. As well as tattoos, they also sell a large range of jewelry, and perform both body piercing and body modification (I was too scared to ask!). Artist Ting draws all of the tattoo designs and you can take a look at some of her work at the shop's website.

Web: www.shanghaitattoo.com. Tel: 53066771. Photo: Mick Ryan; www.mickryan.com.

Shanghai Tattoo takes the medium out of the backroom and onto the Internet

Dylan and Ting sit side by side on the leopard skin print couch in their new shop, Shanghai Tattoo. Ting, sporting a body-full of tattoos and a green Mohawk, listlessly surfs the Internet. Dylan sucks on a cigarette, then points outs an artist easel filled with sketches. The rest of the gear, he says, referring to the needles, inks and a black La-Z-Boy, is in the back of the shop closed off from the lounge.

Shanghai Tattoo opened about two months ago. The couple previously ran a similar place in Harbin, but moved to Shanghai in the hope that Ting’s consummate artistry would be better appreciated in a larger, more liberal metropolis. So far, a steady stream of customers suggests that the move has been a good one. “About a week ago we had a really busy day,” says Dylan. “Ting couldn’t take a smoke break, drink a glass of water, or anything.”

Maybe so, but she still finds time to run a related operation – Ting’s Internet forum. The Chinese-language forum has 7,000 registered members and at least 200 people logged in at all times. The forum itself is a melting pot of all things alternative in China. Topics include tattoos, body modification, ghosts, performance art and underground music, which Ting monitors round the clock to delete spam and advertising, a sure sign of its popularity.

Of course, she finds plenty of personal material there as well. “People stick up pictures of themselves and ask the community, ‘What do you think of me?’” says Ting.

And normally they get a favorable response. But back in the real world tattoos and piercings are still controversial, often linked with deviant behaviour. Dylan says that in China, people with tattoos are sometimes approached on the street by the curious. “They wipe your arm and ask, ‘Is that for real?’” he says with a laugh. Dylan should know; it’s happened to the couple “a million times”.

Part of the reason for this negative perception, he explains, is because tattoo shops in Shanghai “tend to keep to themselves”. Shanghai Tattoo, though, plans to break things wide open on the Internet. Ting recently posted a poll on ShanghaiNing.com, a popular Chinese discussion board, surveying people’s attitudes toward body art. Surprisingly, most respondents said they wanted a tattoo but were afraid of what their parents would think. So the desire is there, now it’s up to Shanghai Tattoo to get those people off the Internet, and into their black La-Z-Boy.

Getting Ink

by Dan, Feb 9th 07

View the original article here.

It was just another day in Harbin. Dylan Byrne, an Irishman there to teach English came off the street into a small shop to have his ear pierced. As he sat he started talking to Zhuo Dan Ting, a strange looking Chinese girl with a green Mohawk. He'd never seen anyone like her before; neither had most other people in Harbin. They hit it off, and now, a few years later, they've moved together to Shanghai to open a new tattoo shop.

Located at 357 Zi Zhong Lu (a five minute walk from the Huang Pi Nan Lu metro stop) the shop is small but cozy. (Check it out on www.shanghaitattoo.com) Ting's drawings - she does all the actual tattooing - line the walls. Dylan, a stocky man with a constant impish grin welcomes the customers. He talks fast and animately; he doesn't just answer questions, he jumps at them. He did web design in Ireland for five years before "career burnout" took him to Harbin. He learned to speak Chinese there and now he does freelance design on the side along with helping Ting run their shop. He's a man who has found happiness in an unlikely place and seems to know how lucky he is.

Ting is a bit younger than Dylan. When he says that she is "not the typical cutesy Chinese girl" it's an understatement. With her hair in a bright green Mohawk (worn down and tied into a ponytail at the back when I met her), and her lower lip pierced with three spikes that jut down nearly to her chin, it's hard not to look at her. There are tattoos peeking out from under her shirt in all directions. On her hands and neck you can see the tips of much larger tattoos, and she tells me about the ones I can see, she tells me about the ones that I can't see and the ones that she hopes to get soon. And yet, she is not imposing in any way. For all of her eye-catching alternativeness, her easy smile and obvious warmth are just as plain.

Before Dylan and Ting left Harbin, she was operating a shop of her own, a small but busy establishment that made her a comfortable living. Alongside her business she ran a website with a message board for Chinese with alternative tastes and appearances. She was a local celebrity who regularly turned heads when she walked down the street.

But, as Dylan describes it, Harbin is a "small country town of nine million people." Despite their success they were bored there. Besides, while it might have been Ting's appearance that made her famous, it was her ability as a tattoo artist that won her a loyal customer base. An ambidextrous calligrapher, Ting has been drawing her entire life. It was only after she dropped out of the Art course at Harbin Normal University (too boring she says) that she took up tattooing. Moving to the more metropolitan Shanghai was a natural step for a young artist with a desire to grow and test her mettle.

The couple saved for a year, and though rent is ten times higher in Shanghai than in Harbin, "so far so good" says Dylan. His theory is that most people think about getting a tattoo at some point in their life, and he and Ting's job is to "be available to people when they finally decide to do it." They've done everything that they can to make that decision as easy as possible. They bought a special reclining chair for their customers, and you won't find a softer sell anywhere in Shanghai. "Okay is not good enough," says Dylan. "We completely realize that this is going to be with you for the rest of your life, and you have to be happy with it first." He and Ting are more than willing to work with the customer on a design until he or she is completely satisfied.

Of course, a tattoo is not for everyone. They are painful to get (though it depends on the person as to how painful it seems) and in some cases quite costly. And unlike in the United States where it seems that everyone wants a tattoo now, in China tattoos are still fairly uncommon and stigmatized; many people have the idea that "tattoos are only for criminals," says Dylan. Ultimately the success of the shop will be related to how much they can overcome that stereotype and attract the more casual customer. Dylan tells a story about a couple that came into the shop to get matching tattoos. As they were having the work done they were whispering to each other about how they would have to cover themselves or lie about the tattoos when they had children. "Oh come on," he thought. "You made the decision to do it, now at least be proud of it."