Eklips, a new tattoo parlor on rue Sadi-Carnot, in La Roche-sur-Yon

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They are two tattoo artists, everyone has their own space, everyone has their own universe, in the premises at 29 rue Sadi-Carnot, in La Roche-sur-Yon.

Mathis Coupeau, the poet, ink.tis of his artist namedraws its inspiration from romanticism, from Florentine art of the Renaissance, from the works of Baudelaire and Victor Hugo.

He creates patterns that he describes as “micro-realistic”, very fine, very modern, using the Fine line technique, which also allows texts to be tattooed.

Born in Mouilleron-le-Captif, he trained in Nantes, with David De Looze, a renowned tattoo artist. He then participated in L’Exode, in La Roche-sur-Yon, a collective of artists, photographers, musicians and tattoo artists, based on rue Salvador-Allende.

From the Fine-line to Asian culture

His colleague, Benjamin Leroy, aka Neubé, is more immersed in Asian pop cultureinspired by Tébori, a traditional Japanese tattoo, manga, video games, and Dragon Ball Z, a television series from the 80s.

Neubé can tell you at length about the history of Japanese tattooing, from the samurai to the Yakusa, members of organized crime.

His career is more unexpected, since this Breton origin, worked as commercial for more than 10 years, after training as an international affairs manager, before joining Mathis.

A tattoo like a shell

Artists at heart, driven by the permanent desire to create, they attach great importance to welcoming, listening to customers, to dialogue, aware that every tattoo contains a life storya love story, sometimes a trauma, or the memory of a person or an event.

There is often a therapeutic aspect to tattooing, for those who are worn out by life, a sort of shell which means: I will never forget.

The most requested body parts are, unsurprisingly, forearms, arms, and legsbut Mathis has already tattooed an entire back, and freehand, that’s 30 hours of work.

Time no longer counts when they practice their art, and each time, they must adapt to the shape of the body, to the skin texture of the person. “But there is no age to get a tattoo,” assures Benjamin: “I just tattooed my father who is 70 years old.”

Safety and hygiene are among their fundamental concerns: their “pencils” are equipped with a membrane intended to prevent cross-contamination by blood.

Likewise, they ask clients not to have consumed alcohol or drugs, which act as blood thinners.

After the official inauguration of the salon in November, Mathis will devote himself, at the same time, to a project that is close to his heart, the publication of a collection of his poems.

Eklips tattoo parlor, 29 rue Sadi-Carnot. Make an appointment on Instagram.

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