Foto portrait of queer tatooer GerFer, sitting on a stair smoking with a blood read old wooden door behind his back. Looking at something far away, resting with black T-shirt with skeleton on.

Conversation with GERFER TATTOO

German Ferreiroa AKA GerFer Tattoo, he/him, lives in Dublin and I work at True Black Tattooing

How would you describe your work?
I do traditional and black work tattoos. A lot of queer art including drawings, paintings and digital art.

How did you come in contact with tattooing? How did you learn?
Back home, in Argentina, I was always very attracted to tattoos since I was a little kid. When I was 18 and I went to college, I met different people into tattooing and tattoo artist that helped me a lot to start. I learned mostly by myself with the support of friends and some tattooers from my city.

Where do you find inspiration for your tattoo art? What makes you happy/curious? Do you work with art in other ways than on skin?
I’m inspired by queer and fetish imagery. Alongside my tattoo career I do a lot of art projects, exhibitions and collaborations with other artists.

I self published books including “The Male Project”, “The Dickpic Project” and “Queerantine”.

My last project is a collaboration with the photographer Hue Hale in Berlin, with a new book coming soon.

Talking bout tattoo culture, What changes would you like to see? In what way can we as tattoo artists make a change?
Some people cares more about being cool than doing a good job, I’d like to see more respect for the industry. As tattooers we should be close and learn from each other leaving our egos on a side.

GerFer would have exposed his art and guest tattooed at StaDemonia Tattoo Stockholm during Stockholm Pride 2020 but Covid-19 ruined our plans. We will have to see each other irl in a safer future!