4 HOT SHOPS IN MEXICO CITY
BY JASON SWEET

Mexico City is a city alive with culture. It is exciting, bewildering and scary, often at the same time. With a population of over 20 million, Mexico City is the second largest city in the world, eclipsed only by Tokyo, Japan. La Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico to Mexicans) sits in a basin 7,000 feet above sea level. The Mexico City basin was filled with lakes when it was an Aztec city, but now most of the lakes are covered over and the entire city is literally sinking beneath its own weight. Buildings are listing like ships taking on water.

Mexico City is a metropolitan spectacle rivaling London or Paris. It is filled with beautiful Spanish architecture, amazing museums, lush green parks, Catholic cathedrals and Aztec ruins. Everywhere, people of all ages hawk products from colorful stands. Often the sidewalk is so jammed with sellers that there is only enough room for one person to pass at a time. Tacos, tortas (Mexican sandwiches), tamales and every other type of Mexican food is cooked and sold to passersby. If you're too faint from hunger to walk, all you need to do is wait for a bicycle with a tamale salesman. Cafes spill out onto the street serving Agua Fresca and café con leche. Mexico City has one of the most extensive subway systems in the world and, although it contains an incredible 175 stations, it is possibly the most efficient. For example, we were able to reach the outer reaches of the city in about 20 minutes. For two pesos (20 cents), one can ride anywhere in the system one way. Trains run every two minutes and are almost always full, reaching peak at rush hour. When you think a car is jammed as tightly as a 1950s telephone booth stunt, suddenly 20 more people manage to squeeze in at the next stop.

Mexico City is a place with a long history of culture and struggle. Originally inhabited by the indigenous Aztec people, it was captured during the Spanish Conquest in 1519 and completely occupied in 1521. After the conquest came the Spanish Inquisition, during which thousands of Aztecs were tortured or burned at the stake for their refusal to convert to Catholicism. The National Museum of Torture is a testament to many ways in which the indigenous people were tortured and killed. Finally in 1910, the last of the Spanish rulers were driven from the city by the Mexican revolution. The political strife continues to this day, with daily protests of varying types on the Zocalo, a square in the middle of the city, said to be the second largest in the world next to Moscow's Red Square. The Zocalo is surrounded by hotels to the south and west, the presidential palace on the east and the Great Cathedral to the north. In addition to these daily protests, Aztec dancers and shamans perform daily rituals in the shadow of Aztec ruins situated right next to the Great Cathedral.

When one walks the streets of Mexico City, you are struck by the melding of cultures. Most of the people are a mixture of Aztec and Spanish. In fact, the only thing that stands out more than a heavily tattooed gringo on the Metro is the sight of a direct Spanish descendant. Sadly though, many people of full indigenous descent are still begging for spare change on the streets. Despite the horrific torture endured during the Inquisition, the Catholic religion is still quite revered. Cathedrals dot the city and are on almost every block. Where there are no cathedrals, shrines to La Virgin de Guadalupe stand in honor of Mexico's first indigenous saint. However, the cathedrals do not stand alone, in fact they stand arm in arm with Aztec ruins all over the city. Many Catholic shrines are decorated with Aztec designs. La Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, a massive complex of shrines and cathedrals dedicated to the saint, contains a giant Aztec calendar on the side of one of the buildings and a sculpture of indigenous and Spanish people offering prayer side by side.

THE TATTOO SCENE
Tattooing in Mexico City takes on a reflection of this constant struggle between wealth and poverty, indigenous culture, Catholicism and the political struggle of its ancestors. Tattooing among the city's middle- and old-age people is virtually nonexistent. The local Catholic religion strictly forbids desecration of the body. However, as with many traditions in Mexico City, there is a struggle. In a drive to associate with their indigenous past, the young are getting tattooed at a rapid pace. Many completely reject their Catholic upbringing and are inscribing themselves with the mark of the Aztec. Others are simply disaffected youth getting tattooed with a variety of images. The attitude that Mexican tattooing is all tribal and Aztec could not be further from the truth. The influx of tattoo magazines and conventions has changed the style of tattoos dramatically. When Aztec designs are tattooed, they are often done with three-dimensional perspective and bright colors. Tattoo artists in Mexico City also draw on their fine art roots. When asked about their influences, many respond that they were inspired by native fine artists such as Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozaco. In this fine city, it is understandable to be so influenced, as fresco murals are everywhere and span the facades of government and private buildings as well as the walls of cathedrals. In a city of 20 million, finding a tattoo shop or two can be a trick, especially if one does not speak the Spanish fluently. Armed with four addresses and a map, I set off on the journey.

EVOLUTION
The first shop we visited was an eye opener. Located on Avenida Insurgentes Sur (Insurgents Avenue South), Evolution is tucked between the Zona Rosa, a neighborhood known for tourists, nightclubs and bars, and Condesa, a neighborhood that is a trendy, gentrified community packed with European restaurants, cafés and bars. Insurgentes was named in honor of the famous insurgents that fought in the Mexican Revolution. It is a busy shopping area for locals, young and old, with clothing stores selling the latest in punk rock fashions right next door to department stores like Sears. If there is one theme that is constant in Mexico City, it is density. Evolution itself is packed into this maze of shops in a medium-sized, street-level storefront. As a tattoo shop, Evolution was not hard to find. It has a beautifully painted exterior crafted by Pedro Alvarez, one of Evolutions' talented artists. Upon entering, one is struck by how clean the shop is. A display counter bisects the waiting room as you are greeted by the manager, Pepe. As with all greetings in Mexico, the meeting is very formal and pleasant. Mexico has a very structured society and a proper greeting is mandatory, along with the proper response. After Pepe visits for a short period, he goes to the back and brings Pedro Alvarez, the most experienced artist in the shop, out to see me. Pedro and I chat briefly about tattooing. He brings out his portfolio. I start to look at it and am struck with how beautiful his work is, with many different styles of tattoos, very subtle shading and color effects. I ask how long he has been tattooing and he tells me ten years, and it shows in his work. Instead of the usual, repeated, black-and-gray images of Aztec relief carvings, I am treated to tattoos of vibrant color, images that are dimensional and use perspective. Pedro explains to me that the Aztecs are known for their statues as well as their relief carvings. He goes on to explain that most of their images are colorful and that they are meant to be tattooed in color, not black and gray. He tells me that most people who get tattooed in Mexico prefer color and for some reason it is only in the U.S. that black and gray is popular with people of Mexican descent. Pedro and other Mexico City artists have dubbed this style Neo-Azteca or New Aztec.

Next, I am shown the portfolios of the other artists, Gustavo Enriquez and Carlos Montiel. Again, I am surprised with the high quality. After some more talk I am invited behind the counter to view the rest of the shop. In a small room the size of a closet, which was formally a bathroom, is the cleaning and sterilization area. Off to the left is the small tattoo room, about 100 square feet in size, packed with three tattoo stations and a drawing, stenciling, copying area. Each artist is allotted approximately 20 feet of space to work, just enough to get the job done, provided all three artists do not need the massage tables at the same time. Again, this room is very clean.

Next, I am taken to the office of Karem Martinez. Karem greets me and informs me she is the owner. I explain to her that I am from Los Angeles and am writing about Mexico City tattooing for SKIN & INK. She then shows me the magazine she publishes, TatuArte, a slick magazine that covers tattooing, piercing, suspension, branding and scarification. I am really impressed: a tattoo shop cleaner than most hospitals, high quality artwork and the shop publishes a magazine with national distribution!

After an hour of conversation, Pedro asks if I would like see more tattoo shops. How can I resist the offer? So, off we go, on foot of course, as Mexico City is a walking town. On our walk, Pedro tells me that professional tattooing has only existed in Mexico City for 12 years. Prior to that, tattoos were done in homes or on the street at the markets. I mention to him that we still see tattooing at the swap meets in Los Angeles, but it is not regarded as quality work. He nods. Pedro goes on to tell me that apprenticeships don't really exist in Mexico and that, if an artist wants to learn, he must train himself how to tattoo and then look for a job. But things are changing on that front too, as the art form progresses. He points out the next tattoo shop we are to visit and reminds me to cross the street carefully. I wish that Pedro would lead me across the street to safety, but Mexican culture dictates the guest must go first. Anything else would be considered rude.

TATUAJAS MEXICO
Tatuajas Mexico is located a few blocks up Avenida Insurgentes, on the third floor. Pedro and I are greeted by Carlos G. Van Steembergh, or Van for short. Van tells me that Tatuajas Mexico is the oldest shop in Mexico City. Despite its age, it is exceptionally clean. Van then shows me his portfolio and tells me he has been tattooing for eight years. His work shows a high level of professionalism. He offers to show me around the shop. First, he takes me to the supply room; the tattoo shop doubles as a supply house, large enough to handle Mexico City's tattoo needs for a year. Van then shows me his tattoo history display in the front room. Moving left to right, he shows me how tattooing has progressed in Mexico City. First are the homemade machines that are strikingly familiar to many novice tattoo artists: a tape recording motor mounted on a ballpoint pen tube. Then a few guitar strings, some drawing inks of various colors and a couple of bottle caps used as the first ink caps. Next are the first professional machines they used, all handmade in Mexico. Then modern tattoo machines along with the latest inks, caps, power supplies, etc. Last are bones, the type of tattoo tools used by Aztecs. I am impressed with the display and how fast tattooing here has gone from the back alleys to modern day-professionalism in only 12 years.

GANESH TATTOO
Ganesh Tattoo is located on the third floor of a building in the heart of the Zona Rosa. Although the shop is located in the busiest tourist area of town, it is hard to find. Climbing the stairs, I am acutely aware of the altitude of Mexico City, as my legs burn and I am breathing hard. Once in the shop, I am greeted by a young woman named Mona. Mona stands behind a beautiful wrought-iron set of bars that separates the tattoo area from the waiting room. She tells me to step around and meet Alfredo Bahena, the owner and head artist at the shop. Alfredo bids me good day, but is busy working on a biomechanical cover-up. He invites me to watch as Mona tells me she is one of only four women tattoo artists in Mexico and the only one in Mexico City. She comes from a graffiti background and has only been tattooing for a year and informs me that while formal apprenticeships do not exist in Mexico, she is working under Alfredo to learn from him and improve her skills as a tattooist.

Alfredo finishes his cover-up and his client poses for the camera. He tells me it was a tribal octopus with waves before he started, but I cannot see it, so his job is done well. Alfredo then takes me on the tour of his shop. He shows me the piercing room and his clean room with modern sterilization. Everything in Mexico City is compact and their tattoo room is no exception. To save room, they mounted drafting tables to the wall with hinges, so they can be folded out of the way. Alfredo is clearly inspired by U.S. tattooing styles. He likes Guy Aitchison and Aaron Cain the most, but is technically savvy enough to do whatever the customer requests. He goes on to tell me that he is very busy and rarely takes on walk-in customers. He is strictly word of mouth and by appointment. He has been tattooing for eight years and used to work for Evolution. He left to work on his own, but there is no animosity. Both shops assured me they were the best of friends, despite the fact that they are located only a half mile away from one another. This made me think that Mexican tattooing may have eclipsed U.S. tattooing in one way: politeness and professionalism.

GALLERY TATTOO
Gallery Tattoo is located around the corner from Ganesh Tattoo, also in the heart of the Zona Rosa. Unlike Ganesh Tattoo, Gallery is easy to find, despite its location on the second floor. I am greeted by owner and tattooist Gabo. When I ask Gabo about Ganesh Tattoo around the corner, he assures me they are good friends, too! He then shows me his portfolio and explains that he has been traveling extensively during the last six months, mostly in Europe. I am then introduced to the artists at the shop, Nyx and William. Nyx tells me that he has a degree from art school and proudly advertises this fact on his business card.

Gallery Tattoo is the most laid back of all the shops in Mexico City. It has a small gallery of artists' flash and a large work area by comparison to the other shops we visited. There are Mexican wrestling masks hanging all over. When I inquire about them, Gabo tells me that they go to see wrestling every Friday and invites me to go, but unfortunately I must leave the next day and decline the invitation. Gabo has spent a lot of time globe-trotting, meeting other artists. He shows me photos of himself with Filip Leu, Tin-Tin and Robert Hernandez, among other European artists. Gabo goes on to show me work from tattooists in Central and South America. He and Pedro tell me that tattooing is flourishing all over Latin America. I stay and chat with Gabo and Pedro at Gallery Tattoo, then I suddenly realize my time in Mexico City is coming to an end and I must get back to the hotel.

EPILOGUE
Tattooing is Mexico City is alive and flourishing and the tattoo artists there were very keen to have a gringo visit their shops. I appreciated the openness and honesty they showed me. In Mexico City, tattooing is still a very small community. Most of the artists know one another personally. They are very social with one another and encourage their community to thrive rather than assume a cutthroat and secretive, competitive attitude toward their peers. I found all the shops to be extremely professional in their attitude and approach to customers. Often, I had heard that tattooing in Mexico lags behind the U.S. but, instead, I found it to be only "different" and their grasp of the medium solid. Much like the rest of the country, tattooing is defining itself as distinctly Mexican rather than trying to compare itself to another country's tattoo scene.

On the day I was to leave Mexico City, I was excited and sad at the same time. After six days of traversing the city, I was ready for a break. My feet hurt and I was anxious to return home. At the same time, I was captivated with the culture and the beauty of Mexico City. In fact, one of the things I'll miss the most is the Oaxacan tamales, wrapped in banana leaves and stuffed with chicken and mole.