Ulyana Nesheva is a well-known painter and tattoo artist whose work can be seen all over the world. She founded her studio 6:19 in Kyiv, Ukraine, to foster creative freedom so that everyone may act and construct their own life.
The artist, whose works have been shown in Kyiv, Berlin, and Miami, was born and raised in Ukraine and has witnessed and participated in her country’s departure from traditional ideas. From these developments, Ulyana contributes as an artist, an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, and a supporter of the right to self-expression.
Ulyana’s career as a tattoo artist began after a friend admired her graphics. He suggested she give a company role a go, and in two days, he showed her the ins and outs of working with tattoo instruments. Ulyana couldn’t stop herself after working on fake leather for the first time. She awoke in the middle of the night and decided to produce a tattoo of one of her artworks. As a result, her graphic design approach evolved into a profession in tattooing.
Ulyana worked alone for six years before establishing the 6:19 studio. She has now formed a company to help local artists and to create a platform for creators’ creativity and fulfilment. She believes 6:19 is not only a tattoo studio but an open-minded centre for artists to gather and share concepts, beliefs and theories.
Minimalism is the aesthetic that has Ulyana’s interest. Her paintings are frequently in black and white with flashes of red, and she is primarily concerned with creating calm forms that connect seamlessly with the body. She will be mesmerised by this art form and the ideal of absolute simplicity for the rest of her life.
In an in-depth interview with Ulyana, she uncovers what it’s really like being a tattooist, describes her creative journey and lets us in on all things 6:19.
Tell me about your upbringing and what has led you to your current position in life?
For the first time, I came face to face with art on a mottled red carpet in the living room in my childhood home. I was sitting and looking through postcards from my mother’s collection. These were sets of postcards from different museums all around the world. Sculptures, paintings, graphic art, a lot of antique things, and so on. I looked through those postcards a million times, and I remember them to this day. I was sorting them, laying them out in front of me, and choosing my favourites. It was kind of a game for me. Later I began reading numerous books, also from my mother’s collections. I didn’t like children’s books, it was impossible to make me read them. But looking at masterpieces, which I knew nothing about at that time, was really fascinating.
In Soviet times, people didn’t pay much attention to upbringing. They were always busy with their work. Children were just absorbing everything that was in their environment. I was lucky that my mother liked art and books more than house chores. She always preferred reading a few pages and always found a way to bring a new book home. My mother taught me how to think out of the box, how to see beauty. How not to be afraid to express yourself. This is how I fell in love with art.
You are described as a tattoo artist, entrepreneur, and advocate for progressive minds, can you elaborate on these aspects of what you do?
As for tattooing, everything is obvious. I just can’t not do it. I am passionate about it. This is my creative expression and it brought me confidence and strength. Before becoming a tattoo artist, I was an active painter. It is a much longer process, and it took a lot of time from the moment the idea was born to its realization. What I like about tattooing is that the idea can instantly get feedback and be brought to life. I love it.
After a couple of years of doing tattoos, I found it logical to open my own studio. Yes, now it is already a business, and it is more about numbers, business plans, and all these things. And since I am quite distanced from all those concepts, I have decided to find another approach to entrepreneurship. To look at it as the way to create a place in my beloved Kyiv to make the city better. To think about what I can give instead of what profit I can make. A non-commercial approach to commercial activity might also work, and if you give all that you have to your goals, having faith in your values – it does work.
To promote your art developing taste in those who are open to it. To look for like-minded people in order to grow the community that gives you a chance to inspire others. A tattoo artist has an opportunity to influence tattoo trends. It is a big responsibility and I love that my art resonates with others and it grows.
6:19 is the successful tattoo parlour you run in Kyiv that has been said to be a powerful force for promoting self-expression, can you tell us a bit about how you started the parlour and what it has grown to become?
Starting from the design of the studio, I wanted to do everything for it to be different from most of the studios. This is why I reimagined the perception of tattoo studios as such, and as the result, we have a clear space for creativity. A place that we want to fill by creating art. The search for those who would create along with me was intuitive. I took my time hiring the team, that is why it isn’t big, but it is made of people whose art I trust.
Today my studio is my team. It is what we communicate with tattoos, projects, art and style. The way our studio is now – it isn’t a limit, because we have big ambitious plans.
Why do you feel it is your passion & need to be an artist?
My creative passion is my whole life. It is made of my inability to stop creating, as my being can’t exist without it. It’s an ability to express yourself by creating art.
What advice would you give to young, up and coming artists looking to showcase their work?
Everybody has their own path, but it is important not to give up, to learn and to constantly develop your skills. To be confident in what you do and to be able to show your work to the world.
Do you have any rules or morals you stick by when creating your designs, if so, what are they?
It has to be beautiful. A tattoo has to fit in the lines of a person’s body, to complement it. I don’t do the tattoos that I don’t like.
You also turn the tattoo’s you create into high-art, what inspired this idea? And, how do you see this type of art evolving?
I can see that our art resonates with people, and I am inspired by it. I have a proven way to influence the development of the industry. All artists get approached with outdated design ideas, which have long become tacky. So you just take those ideas and turn them into art. Don’t be afraid to change people’s perspectives. In most cases, people listen to you, and you have the power to help them develop a sense of style, while also influencing the tattoo industry as a whole.
What kind of clientele do you often have to visit the parlour? Or, how are they all unique?
These are absolutely different people with their own lives and stories. It is so fascinating to observe how they express themselves in the studio. Some people get shy and afraid, others are relaxed and confident. But this special space and the desire to become a part of what we communicate is what all of them have in common.
What are the next steps for 6:19, what should we look out for?
We have got a lot planned out for the future adhering to the “going beyond a tattoo parlour” idea. We are working on different collaborations to create artistic products. We are also planning to launch projects that would explore the history of tattoos and the transition of their meaning. There’s also a very expected for our studio release of the unconventional product that we will be happy to share very soon!
