In the September issue of Ink Legends Magazine, we’re proud to feature a very special guest – Michael Murolo. Many of you will recognize his name from tattoo conventions across the globe, where he’s not only showcased his artistry but also served as a judge and collaborator at some of the industry’s most prestigious events. In our interview, Michael shares his unique journey, insights into the tattoo world, and the invaluable experiences that have shaped his career.
Hi Michael, thank you for joining us for this interview. Let’s start at the beginning. Could you introduce yourself to our readers?
For all the readers of Magazine Ink Legends @ ,for all tattoo artists who contribute with their interviews to this magazine and for those who don’t know me I would like to introduce myself. My name is Michael Murolo and I come from Italy. My working career in the tattoo industry began 22 years ago. I graduated from the Pino Pascali Art Institute of Bari-Italy.
What first led you into the tattoo industry, and how did you get started?
I began my working career in the tattoo industry by landing as a secretary in a tattoo shop.
Over the years I have developed the title of Manager by collaborating in various tattoo shops.
I have ten years of experience as a Tattoo Shop Manager. Like each of us in our lives we have drawer dreams and new goals to achieve. One day during a tattoo convention precisely at the Lecce Tattoo Fest in my region of origin which is Puglia I met a tattoo artist and organizer of the Urban Land Tattoo Expo Roma @urban_land_tattoo_expo_roma with whom I collaborated for the artistic selection for four years.
I currently coordinate the artistic part and am part of the jury for one of the most important events in Southern Italy near Naples, the International Caserta Tattoo Convention @caserta.tattoo.convention
I also collaborate for the artistic selection and am also part of the jury body for the tattoo convention Napoli Tattoo Art International @napolitattooartinternational and Como Tattoo Convention @como_tattoo_convention. For about a week I have been collaborating with the prestigious project created by Rich Harris and Waler Montero – Ibiza Tattoo Retreat @ibizatattooretreat .
My passion for art pushed me to get involved in the Tattoo Industry sector. I began my journey as a judge in tattoo conventions by first gaining general experience in the sector to be able to propose myself at events. I have gained technical and theoretical and non-practical skills by collaborating in various tattoo shops and with various tattoo artists. I would like to point out that I am not a tattoo artist even having obtained the qualifying health and hygiene course for the tattoo profession. I also took the advice to undertake the path of judge in tattoo conventions by listening to the advice of a friend and mentor Alex Van Dutch @alexvandutch, owner of the World Tattoo Events @world.tattoo.events brand with which I collaborate for his online magazine.
How has your career developed over the years, and what have been some of the key moments in your journey?
In my ten years of working experience for tattoo conventions there are many beautiful and memorable memories from first to last. I remember how yesterday I arrived at the Urban Land Tattoo Expo Roma as a collaborator for the artistic part in which I had the approach with the first international artists for the first time. My first collaborative experience for the artistic selection and on the jury for International Hassselt Tattoo and Lifestyle @int.hasselttattooconvention in Belgium was also a very beautiful memory, my work experience outside Italy. While my first experience as a judge was in Romania at the 13th edition of International Iasi Tattoo Fest @tattoofestiasis.
I can say that every trip, every event, every nation I visited gave me unique emotions, new connections, new acquaintances with new artists and many stimuli to continue to do better and believe in what is done with passion, dedication and respect towards everyone.
You are recognized as one of the top artists and have been among the most successful names in the industry for several years. In your opinion, what qualities are essential for an artist to achieve success? Do you feel you can recognize the “next rising star,” and what does it take for an artist to reach that level?
I recognized myself as a tattoo artist because I don’t practice tattoos even though on paper I am a tattoo artist having completed a health and hygiene qualification course to be able to practice the profession of tattoo artist.
In our sector I am recognized worldwide as an artistic selector for tattoo conventions and also a talent scout for the search for new talents who have approached tattoo conventions. I don’t like to brag or compliment myself. They say about me that I am a famous and authoritative person in our tattoo industry sector but honestly I don’t feel important, in fact I am a person like all the others. Traveling a lot for five years now and visiting various tattoo conventions where I take part in the jury, I always look first on the social pages of the conventions at all the artists who will take part. I appreciate and follow all tattoo styles. There is currently no rising star or new talent. I can say that the new generations of artists promise well in their phase or in their artistic journey.
The tattoo industry has changed a lot over the years. What are the biggest shifts you’ve noticed, and where do you see the industry heading in the future?
From what I have already seen for years in general in our sector I see an artistic growth of new talents in every tattoo style. Times have changed for everyone since the Corona Virus pandemic. This bad period of the Covid pandemic has brought many changes for better or worse in our sector. As we all know, tattooing is not a primary good, but a luxury. I was able to see the influx of visitors dropped drastically while traveling around various tattoo conventions. I remember that many years ago tattoo conventions had a much higher number of visitors and every artist present at the convention was almost always able to work on the three days of the event with customers not brought from home. I honestly don’t think or imagine how our sector can change in the future, I look and concentrate day after day to always do better in my collaborations. I was also able to see that with the advent of the Internet the future and technology took hold not only in our sector but also in other work areas but also in our everyday lives. I remember the first years that I approached our sector and worked as a manager in tattoo shops, I purchased both for my culture and for tattoo shops the most sought-after magazines in the Tattoo Energy and Tattoo Life sector, owned by Miki Vialetto, one of the most important figures of our sector, where you could see and read interviews with new talents in the sector and tattoo artist already established in the sector. Or other magazines were purchased where you could find subjects already ready to tattoo.
As we have all seen, the introduction of AI (artificial intelligence) in our sector in many respects.
I believe that AI is still an immature product in many aspects and that it must be understood and used for the real needs needed.
I am not expressing myself in detail on this topic so as not to create differences or controversies for different points of view. I am mentally open to technology and the future but I am also cautious when experimenting because I come from an old-school artistic path.
If you could give one piece of advice to young artists entering the tattoo world today, what would it be?
My advice that I would like to give to all young tattoo artists who enter our sector or who become part of it is to understand that the profession of tattoo artist is not a profession or work like that of many others without discriminating any type of work. If you think that the profession of tattoo artist immediately leads you to success and a great profit it is wrong. The tattoo artist is primarily a craftsman who offers a unique product on the skin to those who choose and decide to enrich their body with the art of tattooing. I believe and think every young tattoo artist who would like to enter our sector comes from an art school or an artistic path.
Allow me to advise you without throwing water at your mill to invest if you can and when you can in general growth for your professional figure: invest in visiting and participating in tattoo conventions in every part of the world, invest in a visibility extras such as giving interviews in various tattoo magazines in the sector and investing and in seminars and workshops with established artists who do the same style in which you want to specialize.
I tend to say that I have recently collaborated with the important and prestigious project called Ibiza Tattoo Retreat @ibizatattooretreat created by two famous and globally recognized artists: Rich Harris @harristattooart and Waler Montero @waler_montero. Whether you are overcoming creative blocks or pushing towards mastery, this retreat offers the perfect space for growth. You will immerse yourself in four in-depth workshops, two live tattoo collaborations, a group creative project, and enjoy ongoing individual mentorship from some of the most respected names in the industry.
My advice that I give to all new generation artists is to always improve your artistic level. Getting involved during competitions or contests at tattoo conventions is good but it doesn’t have to be fury to bring work on stage to contests in less than optimal conditions, stressing the client’s skin excessively in order to participate in a contest. You should always find the right compromises in everything you make.
The prizes won during the contests are pieces of wood, cardboard and plastic that hang on the front wall in the tattoo shop. If artistic quality is lacking, those prizes won and hung on the wall do not have the right artistic value. By improving artistic quality first and foremost, the contest prizes during tattoo conventions arrive without too many somersaults or compromises with your customers’ skin.Obviously with respect speaking towards everyone who is part of the tattoo industry community, this is my point of view which can be accepted but also not shared. Obviously this is my point of view that can be accepted and not shared and I never allow myself to do the math in other people’s pockets.
You’ve been part of many top tattoo conventions around the world. What roles do you usually take on at conventions, and in what ways do you collaborate during these events?
I collaborate in many events around the world with the role of selector and artistic coordinator where I personally select with my artistic vision and my tattoo artist criteria who would like to take part in the event where I collaborate. Sometimes I select artists to invite and include in the guest line up and to include on the jury.
I am also invited only as a special guest and judge to judge the works or tattoos of any style that will take the stage at competitions or contests over the two/three days of the event.
You’ve also served as a judge at many conventions. Can you recall your very first experience judging, and what motivated you to start taking on that role?
The person who inspired me to propose myself and become a judge was my mentor and dear friend Alex Van Dutch @alexvandutch owner of the very famous World Tattoo Events brand that we all know in our sector and in the world, a brand with various platforms that sponsors more than 3000 tattoo conventions in the world.
I currently collaborate with Alex Van Dutch for his magazine. One day Alex Van Dutch told me almost as a joke to run and propose myself as a judge. I had thought about it but I preferred to make my experience and name in the tattoo convention better matured. A few months later I had been invited as a judge in Italy in a small tattoo convention Millennium Tattoo Show @millenniumtattooshow in Noci in Italy, a town near my hometown Bari.
In my ten years of working experience for tattoo conventions there are many beautiful and memorable memories from first to last. I remember how yesterday I arrived at the Urban Land Tattoo Expo Roma as a collaborator for the artistic part in which I had the approach with the first international artists for the first time.
My first collaborative experience for the artistic selection and on the jury outside Italy for International Hasselt Tattoo and Lifestyle @int.hasselttattooconvention in Belgium was also a very beautiful memory, my work experience outside Italy.
While my first experience as a judge was in Romania at the 13th edition of International Iasi Tattoo Fest @tattoofestiasis. I can say that every trip, every event, every nation I visited gave me unique emotions, new connections, new acquaintances with new artists and many stimuli to continue to do better and believe in what is done with passion, dedication and respect towards everyone.
Could you mention some of the major conventions where you’ve had the honor of being a judge?
Over the course of my 5 years of experience as a judge I have taken part in several events including INTERNATIONAL
HASSELT TATTOO CONVENTION/ BE
LYON TATTOO CONVENTION/ FR
INTERNATIONAL TATTOO FEST IASI/ RO
INTERNATIONAL BRIVE TATTOO EXPO/ FR
MARCHE TATTOO CONVENTION/IT
CASERTA TATTOO CONVENTION/ IT
INTERNATIONAL MONTPELLIER TATTOO EXPO/ FR
TATTOO CON DORTMUND/ DE
TATTOOLAND CERIGNOLA/ IT
TATTOO KONWENT GDANSK/ PL
INTERNATIONAL METZ TATTOO EXPO/ FR
MILLENNIUM TATTOO SHOW/ IT
DOUVAINE TATTOO SHOW/ FR
PATIK SA PANIT DAVAO TATTOO EXPO/ PHL
ROTTERDAM TATTOO CONVENTION / NL
TATTOO KONWENT POZNAN / PL
INTERNATIONAL CASERTA TATTOO CONVENTION / IT
MANFREDONIA TATTOO CONVENTION / IT
FIUGGI TATTOO CONVENTION / IT
NAPOLI TATTOO ART INTERNATIONAL / IT
TATTOO EXPO UK / UK
JEREZ TATTOO CONVENTION / ES
SALON DU TATOUAGE MARSEILLE / FR
TURKIYE ART FEST / TR
CONSTANTA TATTOO CONVENTION RO
FISH TATTOO CONVENTION / RO and many others.
With years of judging experience, what do you personally consider to be the qualities of a winning piece? What do you look for when evaluating a tattoo in competition?
When I go on stage as a jury at every tattoo convention of a job or tattoo I look at many artistic technical aspects that I’m not here to list. Every novice judge should have their own artistic vision of what they are looking at, know the anatomy of the area they are looking at, have an artistic journey behind them, compare themselves with artists and professionals with many more years of experience than them.
Comparison is always a good thing even when you are in a team of judges on stage. No one is born learned, each of us always has to learn in every day of life. When the works presented in contests on stage are all beautiful at first glance. The jury must carefully evaluate and follow all the evaluation criteria, finding the defects (the hair in the egg) in order to decide the three winners of each category or the winner of the Best of Day or Best Of Show.
Conventions are such a vital part of the tattoo industry, providing opportunities for artists to present their work, connect, and collaborate with others at the highest level. Why would you encourage artists to attend conventions?
As you said, tattoo conventions are an important and vital part of our tattoo industry. More than encouraging tattoo artists, I would recommend them to take part in many aspects. Like many tattoo artists, they know they are old school, they go to tattoo conventions to unplug from the routine or custom of the tattoo shop, meet old friends and colleagues.
In my opinion, we should take part in tattoo conventions with the right spirit and understand that in tattoo conventions you don’t do business like in your tattoo shop. Tattoo conventions are a showcase on the world for all artists to show the world their art, create connections with other tattoo artists, meet organizers of other events and get involved during contests in a healthy and not fierce way. Traveling to new places, nations, cities and meeting new people and creating new connections at least for me creates a new vision towards those around you.
I would like to give artistic advice to all the new generations of tattoo artists who arrive at tattoo conventions, always think about improving your artistic level and don’t go on stage just to win and bring a prize to your wall to the tattoo shop. If the artistic quality of your works does not improve, those prizes won and hung on the wall of your tattoo shop will have no value, they will just be collectible pieces of wood and plastic hanging on a wall. By improving your artistic quality you will certainly win prizes during contests.
Finally, would you like to highlight any recent conventions or tattoo shows you’ve attended as a judge?
Finally, briefly I wanted to tell you about my last tattoo convention that I visited and where I took part in the jury at the 1st edition of Fish Tattoo Convention Hunedoara @fishtattooconventionhunedoara in the beautiful medieval city of Hunedoara in Transylvania in Romania, an event organized by Elisabeta and Adrian of the Fish tattoo shop Tattoo Hunedoara @fishattoohunedoara.
I can say that it was a wonderful experience in this prestigious tattoo convention organized in the luxurious location of the Werk Hotel and Spa with a breathtaking view of the beautiful medieval castle Corvin.
I warmly congratulate the organizers for the excellent success of their first event and we will see you again next year.
Finally, concluding my interview, I would like to thank the magazine Ink Legend @inklegendsmag and its publisher Lenka Banyarova for giving me the opportunity to give my ninth interview in their magazine and in the edition that will be published and released in September 2025.
I hope that my interview will please those who have the opportunity to read it.
To all the readers and tattoo artists who follow and contribute to the Magazine I would like to remind you that if you would like and would like and stay on my collaborations and the events I visit in the future you would have to stay tuned to my social channels – @ murolomichael
