(First published in Forever More: The New Tattoo)

Preceding the Tattoo Renaissance of the 70s and 80s, the political and social climate of activism throughout the west facilitated the birth of a new, unabashed client base for tattoos. The skins of counter-culture groups like the black resistance, gay liberationists, and women’s rights advocates were adorned with tattoos embodying their identities of dissent. It is this steadfast spirit of rebelliousness—a vocal discontent with the status quo—that courses through the veins, and ink, of Indomito.

“For us, to be rebels with a cause is not to follow established dogmas, it is to think by yourself and act in consciousness, use and live your freedom, it’s yours, you have the right to feel and enjoy, to learn naturally and forget what is expected from you, to be free. Choose what your nature, not society, is telling you.”

“For us, to be rebels with a cause is not to follow established dogmas”

Their work is replete with such pithy statements and credos. After tiring of the few years tattooing under the name Eterno, Indomito was conceived as a moniker to capture and reinvigorate his soul and reflect the social and political objectives he and his project partner, Sabina, wanted to espouse.

Working from their small private studio in Ibiza, their ethically handmade art and craft is used to highlight a selection of social and political causes close to their hearts. As well as raising money through auctions, exhibitions, and collaborations, they also offer their social media platform to organizations that align with their beliefs, in the hope that more visibility will yield more positive results.

“Doing cool stuff is good but it’s not enough, we need to give back—not just take”

“Our creations are made to spread a positive message of fight and freedom, pro nature and animals; we’re looking for a strong visual and emotional impact to bring important issues to attention in times where nothing really shocks anymore. Doing cool stuff is good but it’s not enough, we need to give back—not just take. Personally, Sabina and me share the same feeling: if we could have our financial needs covered we would dedicate our lives full-time to rescuing and protecting animals.”

Short for indomitable, the name not only reflects the reoccurring motifs of their products, such as broken chains and knives, but also their tattoo themes and shared rebellious disposition.

“I’ve been drawing since I was a child. I remember myself as a rebel kid—I already didn’t agree with the system without being aware of it, my nature was indomitable already. I spent most of my life working with other mediums until I made a list of things I wanted to do before I die. ‘Make one tattoo’ was on that list. I never expected that I was going to become a tattooer.”

It was in tattooing, however, that he witnessed power in the expression of his ethos: “tattoo is stronger now than ever, it can be used as a powerful mental-awakener weapon.”

Yet, Indomito see contemporary tattoo culture as bifurcated. One branch, they say, is plagued with commercialism— where tattoos are made just to be cool—ultimately breaking its essence of authenticity. The other branch, though, is the continuation of thousands of years of history, where, they claim, “first tribes used tattoo as sign of identity, writing their culture and history, building armor that protects and keeps in their essence, enabling them to constantly present an authentic self through the good and hard times. It was an opener of unlimited self and communal expression.”

“I think my work is more about the message than the tattoo itself”

Although he found conventional tattoo culture hostile to his “unusual style”, he pushed his work, and message, to find like-minded individuals whom he could offer himself as a tool to help them reflect their thoughts through ink.

“I think my work is more about the message than the tattoo itself. Honestly, I don´t feel that into tattoo culture, my intention is to use any opportunity to nourish my personal growth and to contribute positively to the world—tattooing is one of the tools I have for it.”