Gael Cleinow (he/him) - 2016 Berlin
The wild world of Gael Cleinow / @future_brussels
If you have the chance to ask Gael how to make an apprenticeship happen, do so (I was very blown away and stoked). We met a few times in passing while I was working with AKA in Berlin. Our paths crossed again later (lining up easily) and have since shared space at UNIV ERSE Studio through its several iterations. It is tricky to put into words the ease with which Gael makes tattooing look to the outside world (the scale, the themes, the placements). He has the capacity to fuck with the internet (and not care about it, or at least it felt like that to me). While still having the time to run a very bussssssy multi human studio (so very shocking to me).
At his first space in Berlin he dove in (renovated it and made everyone feel welcome) he hosted Michele to do a Body Of Reverbs. I had not ever had the right timing to catch the rituals in person (thanks for that Gael). Since then he closed and opened a different space to cultivate other peoples talents and careers (across from the best Pad Thai in Berlin). Then closed and opened another with even more of a roster of people who needed his attention and energy (I'm getting anxiety even considering what those years felt like for him!).