Ryan Hope: Permanent Ink

Internationally renowned tattooist Mo Coppoletta divulges the personal significances of being inked in this intricate profile by filmmaker Ryan Hope. Owner of influential London parlor A Family Business, Coppoletta has turned his dedication into a lifestyle, making international pilgrimages to be tattooed by those at the pinnacle of the craft. “For me the key to a brilliant documentary is to tell it through a brilliant character,” says Hope. “Mo has an amazing technique and dedication, he is an absolute purist. His energy and his style are beautiful.” Today’s short is an exclusive extract from Hope’s documentary Skin, which follows five skin-art collectors on their journey to be tattooed with designs created by major contemporary artists Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Raymond Pettibon, Jake and Dinos Chapman, and Richard Prince. Originally commissioned to accompany a Hedi Slimane photo shoot featuring the contemporary artists and collectors for Dasha Zhukova's Garage magazine, Hope redeveloped the original concept. “It seemed more interesting to tell the subject's story, rather than that of the artists themselves,” he says.