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LIONEL FAHY
OUT OF STEP
by Lyndsey Sargent
Photos courtesy of Lionel Fahy
From the October 2008 issue of PRICK Magazine.
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Is there a single word that could be used to accurately summarize Lionel Fahy’s work?
Probably not. Whimsical, unpretentious, child-like, energetic, matchless, primitive,
unbelievable. If you could combine all of these into one word, then maybe, just maybe,
you’ve scratched the surface of describing Fahy’s work. Fahy undoubtedly creates the most
complex simple tattoos imaginable. Crafted out of basic, linear sketches, his work is like a
childhood throwback in a very adult medium. Original designs are usually dotted with
smiling shrubbery, fanciful beasts, or cheerful people, which is far from your standard tattoo
fare. Patrons have traveled from all over the world to get an original design from Fahy
himself since there doesn’t seem to be anyone else that even comes close to replicating
his style.
Despite a seemingly endless fan base
and demand for his work, the French tattoo
master lives a low key existence,
choosing to spend most of his time in the
tiny village of Nantes, France with his wife
and four children and his small shop “Out
of Step Tattoos.” This is not to say, though,
that Fahy is reclusive or unwilling to create
his art on the road.This month he’ll spend
a few days filling in at “Art Corpus” in
Paris, then head to Bad Ischi, Austria for a
five day guest appearance at “Tattoo to the
Max” studio. Then it’s back to Nantes for
family, rest, and art on the Atlantic Ocean.
For a man who’s not looking to be the
next big thing and who enjoys flying under
the radar of the lime light, Fahy is still not
doing too badly for himself.
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How did you get your start in tattooing?
As far as I remember, I was in touch with
tattoos. [There were] North Arabian tattoos
on the old women in my hometown.
So to me, it was very mysterious and
great. In our family, drawing on us was forbidden,
so of course we wanted to do
what our parents forbid!
I started to tattoo when I was 15 years old, tattooing
in the kitchen by hand like our punk friends
did it, too...not so good. Then I stopped because I
really wanted to do it like in the biker magazines. I
started again 10 years after with an old school guy
called Charlie. After a few months he told me that I
had to learn alone, then he would see if I was really
dedicated tot this scene. I think it was much more
secret and preserved in France than in America.You
couldn’t buy anything if you weren’t a professional or
introduced by your mentor, so it took lots of years
for sure! Then I started to travel for my experience.
What is the tattoo culture like in France?
Is it more prevalent or still a bit taboo?
Now people are more tattooed but not as much as
in Germany or England, for example. But I could say
that now there is a French scene with amazing tattooists.
They are doing great work that is really
unique and hundreds are copying, of course!
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Your designs are all very organic and free
flowing—do you draw them out beforehand
or just jump right in?
I like to keep a big percentage
of spontaneity in my work.
That’s why I prefer to draw for
my customer the day of our
appointment. I have to switch
my brain on and start thinking
with the person in front of
me. Then I can follow the
body and see how to combine
my work with some
older tattoos, for example.
But on the other hand, I
spend lots of time to draw on
my own when I am not tattooing.
I draw, I draw, I draw. It
is like an exercise sometimes, but it
permits me to find lots of new ideas for new projects.
How far have people traveled to get work from you
done?
Yesterday I had customers from Canada at home. Some people
from New Zealand, USA of course, Europe a lot and rarely some
from South America and never from Asia!
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What do you feel makes your style so unique?
Oh! It is very simple! First my childhood, then my wife and my
four amazing children, then landscape around me and my huge
passion for art books. You mix all of this and then I think you
must find something on your own.
What's your favorite aspect of working in the
industry?
I love hearing stories! People come to me with some amazing
projects, they sit and they give me a gift: their story. I am just
there to illustrate a period of their life and it is a wonderful gift.
I really stay busy even now at "Out Of Step." I mean, I could live
in Paris and working hell everyday, but I’ve made some other
choices: living in the middle of nowhere near the Atlantic Ocean,
taking care of my family and spending time for some art projects.
I really don't want to be the next big thing of anything, I just want
to be focused on what my customers are asking.That's it.
I work for eleven years and of course I have seen this
industry changing a lot. Younger people are fully covered,
it is incredible. But it is the world that is changing, not
only the tattoo scene. I am very happy to be working as
a tattooist, but I take care to be on my own, nothing else.
We heard that you'll be in Canada this
Winter. Where else are you going to be traveling
around to tattoo?
I come to visit some closed friends that are living there
[in Canada]. I also go in New Zealand. This year I was in
Holland, Slovenia, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria,
Belgium, Czech Republic, England and of course, France.
I love to travel as I have got lots of friends in those
countries now. The people ask for some very different
artwork depending of the countries. In France, most of
my customers are asking me to do heavy black work. In
Prague, people come to me with colorful ideas. That's
refreshing! But if you want to follow my trips everything
is on my Web site.
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How would someone looking to get tattooed
by you go about contacting you?
The best way is to go on my website and see if any locations
work for you. Then send me an email directly and
give me time to answer! I think next year I will travel less.
I will spend more time near Nantes on the French
Atlantic west ocean side and in Paris, too.
Is there anything else you think we should
know about Lionel Fahy?
I would like to thank a lot the customers from your
country [United States] who did the trip to get tattooed
by me in Europe... they know who they are and also a big
thank you to the readers of PRICK!
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