Victor's Homage to Kathy Olivas's Misery Children

Here at Tattoosday, the general rule is not to approach someone about a tattoo unless we can actually see the majority of the piece. Often, you can tell someone is inked based on design elements peeking out from under clothing. However, it seems to be in poor taste to ask someone about their work when you can't even see what it is.

Of course, there are exceptions.

For example, when I spotted Victor popping into an ATM vestibule at 7 Penn Plaza, I only saw a flash of color on his upper right arm, but I had a hunch it would be great.

I was right.

Victor is a fan of the artist Kathie Olivas, a multi-media artist who, among other things, has created the Misery Children. Check out the collection of her characters that he has circling his arm:

Victor followed up our meeting with an email that described Ms. Olivas's work, quoting from her website:

The tattoos are based on Kathie Olivas's artwork, her paintings and studies. "Sugary treats, dichotomous dreamlands, and the cute and corrupted all find their way into the brief calm before the rebellion that feature Olivas's series of characters known as the misery children."

This series of paintings and custom figures "focuses on imperfect characters that parallel" a vision of "post-apocalyptic conformity, uniquely documenting their own stories in a mysterious brave new world."

"The cast is inspired by early American portraiture that often depicted children as small adults in an idealized new land...They evoke a sense of temporality; [in which] childhood serves as a starting ground, a place where things begin." They also "personify 'cuteness' as more of a representation of projected innocence."

Victor's misery children were tattooed by Jose Soto at Inkstop Tattoo NYC.

Thanks to Victor for not only sharing the tattoos with us here on Tattoosday, but for introducing many of us to an exciting pop artist.


You can see more of Kathie Olivas' work on her cool website here.