Hussein Mistrah.. from zero to hero

For most plastic art graduates, art study and work in the same field seem to be not an easy task.

As an attempt to get to know more about this art, we will introduce you one of these artists how succeeded in making his way in the practical work-life.

For this purpose, I called the artist by phone (since we were classmates), and we agreed to meet at his workplace. I prepared a set of questions and headed to my appointment on Friday, at 11:00, for a discussion over two hours.

This thesis is being submitted as conclusion of this dialogue. There included some pictures of the tattoo harbor and the artist taken at the tattoo artist’s approval.

 

Tattooing is a technique of body modification. It consists on inserting a pigment into the skin using needles. After injection, the pigment is dispersed throughout the cuts and the wounds to engulf the pigment particles and to engrave it under the skin. Tattoos on human body are kind of physical modification and ornament, whoever, on animals, it is more common and used for identification and ownership recognition.

Tattooing has existed for centuries around the world, as the face tattoos used by the Ainu (indigenous people of Japan) as kind of custom and tradition. It was also traditionally practiced with the Amazigh (North Africa), the Maori (New Zealand), Hausa in northern Nigeria, the Bedouin and others around the world, whether for decoration or identification purpose. Despite some taboos, this art is still very popular.

Mummies dating back to the copper age were discovered about 3,400 years BC, with carbon tattoos consisting of simple points and lines that may be a form of treatment due to their acupuncture-like position.

There are five types of tattoos: wounded or natural tattoos, causing wounds and injuries, amateur tattoo, professional tattoo with modern electric tattoo machine, cosmetic tattoo or permanent makeup, and medical tattoo.

Mohammad Hussein Mistrah was born in 1992 in Taybe, a village in South Lebanon.

Since his young age at school, he was brilliant in the drawing course making sketches that were evidently distinguished from his peers. His parents encouraged this talent by providing him with gouaches and drawing books.

In the lead-up to university admission, he started drawing portraits on demand, with pencil and coal, in consideration of modest income.

He completed high school and applied for the entrance exam to the architecture faculty at the Lebanese University, being of his artistic interests, but, however, he could not pass the exam. He studied sciences but was unable to follow up in this field since courses were not source of attraction to him. Thus, in 2011, he shifted to the plastic arts department at the Lebanese University, Branch I to learn what he really liked and to finally graduate in 2013/2014 session.

Since the first year, he showed distinction in the lines he was drawing and a unique artistic sense, despite being distracted with other jobs along his studies to pay for the university fees and to help his parents in their living. He worked as delivery boy during the first opportunity came to his doors by accident, when he delivered an order to a tattoo studio. He was obsessed by the drawings on the body. When the artist knew about his talent, he offered him the first tattoo machine with pigment and needles, against the only amount of money he had. Although the machine was not of good quality, neither the pigment, but Mistrah started his career in tattooing.

It was not so hard to find a volunteer to try the tattoo. Abbas Rihan, Mistrah’s friend, served as field of experiment, and chose to have as tattoo a human skull wearing a hat. Volunteers were many willing to have a tattoo on their bodies and the first shop Mistrah had was only of 1 meter × 1 meter and half, a small room down a building in Choueifat. In only one year, the shop became a harbor of 4 × 4 meters. Drawings were simple and not even as professional as it should be since he was still in the early years of university studies.

With the study of plastic arts, in theory and in practice, in particular, the design and color theories courses, coupled with history of arts, the recognition of the different artistic schools, the Arab calligraphy, photography, and software, Mistrah was given strength and potential that positively affected his tattoo work, and his drawings turned to be mature and striking. Encouraged by the university professors who believed in his talent and success, Mistrah completed his studies and was awarded his bachelor in 2014.

Mistrah could never forget the trip the Lebanese University organized to the plastic arts students to Italy (Rome-Florence) for 8 days. During this trip, Mistrah had the opportunity to visit the most renowned art museums. It was a journey of a lifetime, he saw the splendor of artworks from paintings and statutes of Botticelli, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Raffaello, Bernini, and others. As we will see in his works, Mistrah got inspired from these paintings and sculptures.

For his graduation, Mistrah opted for a thesis under the title: For everyone a martyr/ 3m × 2m/ max media/Acrylic sand/expressive and abstract style/under the supervision of Dr. Fatme El Hajj.

Once graduated, he worked for full-time in tattooing. He expanded his business and moved to a bigger space within a distinguished area that would attract a greater number of tattoo lovers. He got what he wanted. He became famous whether in the surrounding community or abroad. His works were impressive. Everyone wanted to know who is Mistrah and his drawings, and Mistrah was seeking to satisfy all his customers. Thus, he always uses black, grey, and some white in his drawings which were admired by all his customers. When asked about the difficulties encountered in his work, he says that he may refuse a design when the customer insists on a specific drawing and design. Overall, he works on enhancing the work level. The design quality is defined by the artist and not the customer, although the design should be agreed by the artist and the customer during the steps of work preparation, and no error could be permissible in the tattoo execution.

Tattoo steps start with the preparation of the design on Photoshop with the customer’s contribution. The design is printed out on specific paper used to trace the drawing on the body using needles of different size depending on the accuracy and the pigment color. The tattoo process time depends on the size and detail of the drawing and may take more than one session to get the desired result that satisfies both parties.

 

Mohammad Hussein Mistrah could be absent on the plastic art ground. Since he gave all his time to tattoo, he could not participate in art exhibitions. However, he was among the founders of Lebanon tattoo festivals and the first competition was held in 2017.

He got third place in Marmaris Tattoo Convention in Turkey – the Realistic Tattoo – in 2019. He participated in several international competitions with the most famous international tattoo artists as: Dave Paulo, Sam Barber, Jack Konoly, Benjamin Laukis, and Lukas Smyku. In 2018, the Middle East Tattoo Convention, the International Tattoo Expo Rome, the Amsterdam Tattoo Convention, the Athens Tattoo Convention, and in 2019, the Mondial du Tatouage Paris. Mistrah was the only contestant from the Arab world, although he did not get a special prize, but he is still working to reach his goal in winning the World Tattoos Championship in the years to come. He hopes to open a harbor, upon his retirement, in the heart of his homeland, Taybe.

His current tattoo harbor is located in Hamra, the most prestigious street in Western Beirut, the area which does not sleep, accessible to all customers and where everyone is welcome.

At the end of the interview, which was transparent and welcoming, I left the place which could be called studio, with walls adorned with painting and artwork which were mostly completed during the period of arts study.