Horiyen aka Jess Yen is one of those you cannot forget. His purpose? To ink more than 100 bodysuits ! His art pieces are created with a New School Oriental twist, which is revealing also a unique aesthetic. His bright colors, solid and his compositions have got stunning realistic movements. Moreover to be a talented tattoo artist, Jess Yen, professionnal tattooer since 1992 has grown between two different cultures, and praticed Tebori as tattoo machine.
You are from Taiwan and you work in California, how did you develop your style between those two cultures? Yes, I am originally from Taipei, Taiwan, moved to USA in 1998, and have resided in Los Angeles, California since then. Before moving to USA, I only know how to do Tebori (hand-poked tattooing) and learned how to use an electrical machine in the United States. I have been tattooing professionally since 1992 and tattoo industry has changed and grown very significantly in both countries (Taiwan and USA). The biggest tattoo culture differences between Taiwan and USA during 1990’s, I think, was the level of acceptances. Tattooing was much more generally accepted by the public, compared to Taiwan, where tattoos were underground and always related to gangs or bad reputation. As I started to tattoo as a career, my family like my aunts and uncles did not see me as a success person nor has a good career in tattooing. As I learned and started to tattoo with an electrical machines, I did all kinds of tattoos (tribal, realism, lettering or a little butterfly, you name it), and eventually I owned my first tattoo shop in Alhambra, California, in 2001, and founded my tattoo family, Horiyenichmon (currently I have four of my students with Hori name and three unnamed apprentices still under training). I have traveled over 30 countries, won over 400 trophies and featured by both US and international media and magazines. Finally, my family changed their negative view about tattooing and me, being a tattoo artist as a career. They became proud of me. That to me is very valuable.
Today, people know me as Oriental Realism style or Illustrative Oriental as I called myself. How I develop into this style came from two ways: First, it came from my background in fine art and interior design industry. Secondly, it came from influence of Western culture as realism was very popular (still is today) when I moved to America. With an electrical machine, I was able to add elements realism and materialism into my work, in which, a Tebori method was not able to achieve it. Oriental/Asian tattoos have a lot of creatures that did not exist in life. I want to bring a life out of them so people could visually feel details of, for example a dragon, sharpness of its claw, texture of its snaky skin, the furriness of its horse hair on its back, and its vivid eyes that tell you the story behind this work. Although my illustrative oriental style derived from time changes, needs of my work and influence of Western culture, I still keep the original story and spirit of Eastern history and myth.
Did your Taiwanese culture, influenced you to tattoo as a job? Yes, my father passed away when I was only one, so I was raised by my grandfather who was a very strict Japanese grandfather. As now, I become a teacher or master to my students, and I am also a strict teacher or master to them. I always believe mentality is before any skills. All my students must have appreciated heart toward his/her clients and people around us. Secondly, I believe there is no the best, only better, so all my students must give all they got to their work. These thoughts also go the same back to me, as a tattoo artist and a teacher.
How did you start tattooing? How was it back then for you in oriental style? I started tattooing at early age of 13 in Taiwan, using a needle that was tied to a bamboo stick to do a Kanji character on my classmate’s arm. This method is known as Tebori or hand-poked tattooing. Tattooing back in those years (80’s) in Taiwan was a taboo and people mostly had a negative perception toward it. Nonetheless, I still wanted to learn tattooing and even went under an apprenticeship for a short period of six months in Taipei while I was attending a technical high school that was well-known for its art program. I was doing it more like a hobby or underground art. After graduating from college, I worked of a Japanese interior designer in Taipei for a few years before I decided to come to America, seeking a higher degree in Master of Arts. Unfortunately, my mom had a financial difficulty to support me and living expenses and school tuition were a lot higher in US compared to my hometown, so I was not able to complete the education. In a fortuitous way, I visited a tattoo parlor in Venice Beach, CA and encountered with an electrical machine for the first time. The “speed” of an electrical machine really amazed me as I compared to my hand-poked method that I learned back in Taiwan. With combination of my hand-poked skill and an electrical machine, I began my tattoo journey in America. The beginning of my tattoo career using Tebori was traditional Japanese tattoos, but with an electrical machine I learned in America, I was doing all kinds of style in tattooing.
You are tattooing both by electric machine and tebori - how did you learn Tebori? Yes, I am both a Tebori artist and an electrical machine artist. Actually, I learned to do Tebori because of curiosity. My friends in school wanted me to tattoo them because they know I do good drawing, so we used a simple needle tied to a bamboo stick and dipped into calligraphy black ink to make tattoos. When my interest in tattoo developed, I went under a short apprenticeship to learn about tattooing. After high school, I joined the army as citizen duty, for about two years, and then went to college for fine art. My teammate and colleague have always asked me to tattoo them as they know I do Tebori.
How do you manage to tattoo with both technics? Now, I do most of my work with electrical machines (coil machines) mainly because of its speed and I do charge by hour. Sometimes, people will request Tebori tattoo, and wish to have the experience, and I will do so.
Which one is the most important but also still really difficult for you? Creation and new idea! I think, as an artist, your biggest enemy often is yourself. When I do a great work, then I will be worried about my next one and how I can be better than that great work I just did. A famous artist once said that an idea is God’s whisper, and he would only say it once. Therefore, I always carry a small notebook with me to write or draw them down as an idea comes up in my mind.
You are also a machine builder... why ? And how did you start building Tebori? Yes, I do make my own Tebori tool. This is because they are not really available for sell everywhere. Also, a Tebori tool is like an artist’s paint brush, a Tebori artists must know how to make their own needles . I have been hosting Jess Yen Seminar to teach people how to make needles for Tebori and in the future, will teach about making a Tebori handle. My next seminar in Europe will be Dortmund Tattoo Convention June 2017 and I will encourage those who are interested in Tebori – how to make Tebori tools and Tebori tattooing techniques to take my seminar. I also love coil machines (electrical machine) and I have my own line of coil machines. Oriental/Asian tattoos emphasized on line work, and a coil machine does beautiful line work due to its powerfulness and bouncing affect from each stroke.
Finally, every year, you are attending the Taiwanese convention, is that important for you to stay connected with the Taiwanese tattoo culture? The organizer of Taiwan Tattoo Convention is a good friend of mine and he calls me big brother. I have been attending his convention every year because of our relationship and Taiwan is my hometown. I hope my attendance will bring new information to artists over there and at the same time, I learn new thing, like exchange of information and knowledge. I also take this opportunity to bring my friend artists from different countries to visit Taiwan and enjoy the trip with them, like last year, Carlos Torres, Alan Padilla, and Sergio Sanchez went with me and this year, I will go with Boris, Julian Siebert, and Souryou, son of Horiyoshi 3.
@jessyentattoo www.mytats.com My Tattoo 1230 S. Garfield Ave. Alhambra, CA 91801 17845 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach, CA 92647 USA
