Alexander Is a Stranger In a Strange Land

I grew up in Ukraine’s northernmost city, a town called Chernihiv. It’s close to the border with Russia and Belarus, and in fact when the Russian Army invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, my hometown was the first city to be laid under siege. After a few months, we were able to take back the city, but the region still undergoes constant shelling from the Russian Army to this day.

My first experience with tattooing started in my hometown over a decade ago. I was entirely self-taught, though other tattoo artist friends have also been generous in offering advice. I moved to Poland around 2012 and in the years since, I’ve lived a kind of vagabond existence, posting up for months at a time all over Europe, including stops in Germany, Italy, Ireland and other countries. Then about six months ago a Canadian visa opened up for me, and though I knew nobody in Montréal, I decided to move. I heard the city has an intriguing cultural energy, so I made the spontaneous decision to move here. Despite all the difficulties in an entirely new country - it's been a great time - I like being a stranger in a strange land.

I've lived a kind of vagabond existence, posting up for months at a time all over Europe.

My work and my style have evolved over the years, though I’ve always been fascinated by ancient designs. I explored different art traditions that emerged from cultures that inhabited modern Ukraine for over 10,000 years, Minoan, Egyptian, and other civilizations. These periods gave birth to tens of thousands of symbols and motifs that serve as an endless source of inspiration for me.

For me, creating a unique work of art that someone will carry on their body throughout their life is a spiritual experience.

I have a deep connection to nature and the natural world. I'm attracted to its simplicity, that reveals depth and complexity when you look more closely. I take an abstract approach to art making and I'm constantly experimenting to learn how to use less to tell more - to simplify the complex and magnify the effect of the mark that remains.

Being a tattoo artist is a never-ending journey of exploration and experimentation. What I love more than anything is to collaborate creatively with a client. I love when someone brings me an idea for something they want to try, and together we develop and implement a design. For me, creating a unique work of art that someone will carry on their body throughout their life is a spiritual experience. A super intimate one. A rare, special energy exchange.