As proud sponsors, Stories & Ink joined AFRODERM’s first UK edition — a celebration of Black artistry and heritage.
Just around the corner from East London’s Dalston Kingsland high street lies Sang Bleu Tattoo. You’ll find a steady stream of clients coming through the studio’s doors on any given day. But on this sunny August weekend, the space is buzzing with a different kind of energy. We teamed up with AFRODERM to support their first-ever London event and heard from the people making history.
AFRODERM was founded in 2024 by Parisian tattoo artist Dimitri Andrew. After receiving a less-than-satisfactory first tattoo, Dimitri knew something had to change. The industry needed to learn about tattooing on melanated skin and its traditional African roots. “I love books and documentaries. And we know so much about symbology and tattooing in Japanese and Polynesian cultures. But I couldn’t find anything on African culture. It’s like a whole continent has been erased.”
Sharing AFRODERM’s mission, Dimitri says “AFRODERM is rooted in education. I knew I needed to create a space for people to learn in, even if only for two days. I wanted people to learn about their history in a safe space. And for our people to see experts’ work on skin that looks like theirs.”
Itonisha ‘Nish’ Rowe (@markedbynish) is a Manchester-born, London-based tattoo artist. She featured on the line-up of artists at last year’s convention in Paris and curated the stellar line-up for AFRODERM’s London event. “I loved it so much. I approached Dimitri and asked him if I could put on a London edition. I knew there’d be a demand for it because of the work I do. And the conversations I have.”
"We tend to forget that the origins of tattooing and body modification started on melanated skin." - Dimitri Andrew, AFRODERM founder
On working with Dimitri, Nish says “It’s been a beautiful process. We’d talk for hours over the phone together to figure things out. Dimitri is very focused on the educational side. He loves helping artists understand how to tattoo Black skin and the pre-colonial practices of body modification.” Nish shares “I’m focusing on the brand and cross-pollination of ideas, and who we can collaborate with to really build something.”
This is more than just a tattoo convention. Every detail has been thought of, from the talented DJs mixing music from Black culture to the exclusive AFRODERM and artist merch. Large photos of traditional scarification and marking rituals decorate the walls. One is adorned with a proud Malian Fulani woman. She wears her tunpungalle with pride – black, tattooed lips that Fulani women wear as a symbol of femininity and sensuality.
Creativity and connection are abundant everywhere you look. And this pop-up shrine to Blackness and Afro traditions feels like an education and a homecoming all at once. Dimitri says “We tend to forget that the origins of tattooing and body modification started on melanated skin. So many Black people say their skin’s too dark to be tattooed. And it breaks my heart because our people have been doing this for centuries. And now you’re saying you can't have a tattoo because you're darker? That's just the result of years and years of nonsense being perpetuated.”
There are many myths surrounding tattooing on darker skin. And, sadly, they’ve been internalised by people who deserve them, just like everyone else. Jade Clark (@clarktattoos) is a tattoo artist based in Manchester. “My tattoo style centres around traditional tattooing. A lot of bold, black lines and colour with a Black-centric twist.” We asked Jade about the biggest myth she’s heard as a tattooist. “‘People of colour with melanated skin can’t have colour in their tattoos,’ I was told that when I was an apprentice. And I was told to go in a more black and grey direction because my clientele would want that. But I think I proved them wrong.”
Jade’s playful, joyful energy mirrors the space around her. She says, “I'm so honoured to be a part of this event. It’s so nice seeing people instantly connect through culture and shared experiences, especially in the tattoo world. This convention proves that there's always been a space for people of colour in the tattoo industry. And it's just so beautiful to be surrounded by people and see yourself in others.”
We managed to catch one of Jade’s loyal clients before they sat down for their new ink. Meesh wears a collection of unique designs, some with Afro elements. We asked Meesh what they thought of AFRODERM. “Being in this space and getting tattoos from a Black tattoo artist is just different. I’ve never experienced this in my 20-odd years of being tattooed. It’s a special thing.”
In between clients, we also caught up with Emmanuel Uchenna Item (@emmanual_item) about tattooing and how his Nigerian heritage shapes his art. “I do mostly West African-inspired tribal work. I draw a lot of inspiration from body modification. But also fabrics, architecture, and clothes.” Emmanuel echoes Dimitri’s frustration with the lack of cultural awareness in the tattoo industry. “My father is Nigerian. And when I got into tattooing, there wasn’t a connection between Nigeria and tattooing. It wasn’t very well known. So I made it my mission to spread West African-inspired tattooing, not only in the diaspora in Europe, but also in Nigeria.”
On misconceptions, Emmanuel says “A lot of people think dark skin can't get tattooed. Or that not everything works on dark skin. I think everything works. You just have to adapt – the skin colour doesn’t matter.” But is this an issue everywhere? Emmanuel says “I think a lot of people in the Western tattoo world – mainly Europe – don't have the opportunity to work on Black skin. They don’t see Black people tattooed. So they think, ‘okay, there aren’t any tattoos on Black skin’, which creates a downward spiral.”
But AFRODERM is changing that. Seeing so many talented Black tattoo artists and excited clients in one space feels huge. An unapologetic community and network of people celebrating tattooing’s Afro origins is being built. And this is only just beginning. When asked what’s next for AFRODERM, Dimitri says “I’d like to hold another convention in Paris again. But the main objective is to go to Africa – the motherland."
A date for the next AFRODERM UK edition hasn’t been set yet. But the demand is there. And the community are more than ready to help spread the magic, legacy and excellence of Afro tattooing and body modification around the world.
Written by @claude_knight
Photos by @hallieaduke
