One to Watch – Felipe Abel
ONE TO WATCH
FELIPE ABEL
Lineae et signa occulta.
Your imagery moves between mythology, surrealism, the human figure and ancient iconography. Is there a source, a book, a work of art, a historical period that changed the way you see things?
«
My imagery is born from a fairly organic mix of different sources. I’ve been deeply influenced by ancient texts like the Book of Enoch, the symbolism of classical cultures such as Greek, as well as Renaissance religious art, together with esoteric mysticism.
Artists like Caravaggio have profoundly shaped the way I understand light, narrative, and symbolism. Rather than a single defining moment, it has been an ongoing process where the spiritual, the mythological, and the human intertwine, constantly transforming how I see and represent the world.
»
Your imagery moves between mythology, surrealism, the human figure and ancient iconography. Is there a source, a book, a work of art, a historical period that changed the way you see things?
«
My imagery is born from a fairly organic mix of different sources. I’ve been deeply influenced by ancient texts like the Book of Enoch, the symbolism of classical cultures such as Greek, as well as Renaissance religious art, together with esoteric mysticism.
Artists like Caravaggio have profoundly shaped the way I understand light, narrative, and symbolism. Rather than a single defining moment, it has been an ongoing process where the spiritual, the mythological, and the human intertwine, constantly transforming how I see and represent the world.
»
Black and grey micro-realism demands a total control of light and contrast, with no color to fall back on.
What does black and grey give you that color never could?
Black and grey, especially in micro-realism, has a very particular depth. It pushes me to take contrast, texture, and light to a much more conscious level. There are no distractions, everything relies on precision and on how the atmosphere is built.
Black and grey feels more timeless, more sculptural, and more symbolic. I feel it connects more naturally with the themes I explore, spirituality, antiquity, and transcendence, in a way that color can sometimes soften or even distract from.
»
You have a Design background and wrote your thesis on the global tattoo industry. How much has that academic vision shaped your approach to art?
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My background in Design, along with having written my thesis on the global tattoo industry, gave me a strong foundation to understand this medium beyond the purely aesthetic. It allowed me to approach tattooing as a cultural and historical phenomenon, as well as a visual language.
This has directly shaped the way I work: each piece is not just an image, but a carefully constructed composition with intention, narrative, and coherence. In a way, that academic perspective brings structure and clarity to what later becomes a more intuitive creative process.
»
You have a Design background and wrote your thesis on the global tattoo industry. How much has that academic vision shaped your approach to art?
«
My background in Design, along with having written my thesis on the global tattoo industry, gave me a strong foundation to understand this medium beyond the purely aesthetic. It allowed me to approach tattooing as a cultural and historical phenomenon, as well as a visual language.
This has directly shaped the way I work: each piece is not just an image, but a carefully constructed composition with intention, narrative, and coherence. In a way, that academic perspective brings structure and clarity to what later becomes a more intuitive creative process.
»
Thank you for joining us on this journey
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