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Tattoos Can Change People’s Lives
An Interview with Hungarian Tattoo Artist Brigitta Máthé
Brigitta Máthé is a Hungarian tattoo artist currently based in Chicago. She started her journey in the world of tattoos nearly a decade ago while still waiting tables to make a living. Since then her designs have been featured in magazines, both online and offline, and potential clients often need to wait months to book an appointment with her. I sat down with Brigi, my dear friend of over ten years, to gain insight into her life as an artist and to learn about the challenges, opportunities and responsibilities tattoo artists may encounter in today’s world. We also talked about work-life balance, cultural appropriation, and the way tattoos can change people’s lives for the better.
You have been working as a tattoo artist for quite some time now and have experienced life as an artist in Europe and North America. Please tell us about the beginnings. How did your journey start?
It started with plenty of hard work and sweat, long hours and no holidays, and by simply figuring out what I wanted to do. After I finished my studies in history at the university in Hungary, my path led me to England where I got an opportunity to work as a waitress in the Channel Islands. I knew that was not what I wanted to do forever, so I asked myself the question: ‘What else am I good at other than…
