LOCAL HEROES
Henk “Hanky Panky” Schiffmacher They call Henk Schiffmacher guru, godfather, or king of Amsterdam’s tattoo culture. One thing’s for sure: the tattoo artist known as Hanky Panky is a thoroughbred storyteller. Words by MIO VAN DER MEI Pictures by KEVIN RIJNDERS
Tattoo artist Henk Schiffmaker’s fame extends past
isn’t really Amsterdam anymore. “The Amsterdammer”
the borders of Amsterdam. The 64 year-old artist has
is on the brink of extinction. Yuppies living in the Jordaan
tattooed A-list celebrities like Kurt Cobain, Lady Gaga
are always complaining and often out of humor.
and Robbie Williams, just to name a few. But he’s
I visited Henk’s shop in de Pijp to talk about the past
Speaking about youth culture, there seems to have been quite a shift in tattoo culture over the past years. It’s not just for Hell’s Angels, sailors and prostitutes anymore.
and present of Amsterdam’s tattoo scene, and more.
There used to be a big stigma about the tattoo scene
I sat down next to Henk during one of his tattoo sessions
here, and we worked hard to fight against it. Now, the
for a chat as photographer Kevin Rijnders captured this
stigma has been torn down for the most part—which
tattoo icon on camera.
is a good thing—yet on the flip side, it has also become
also a renowned painter, author and art collector. The common thread that runs through all of his artistic interests is storytelling.
You’re from a Catholic family from Harderwijk. What made you come to Amsterdam?
less thrilling. What I mean to say is that there are a lot of people who get tattooed these days, but shouldn’t be because they couldn’t handle it.
The storytelling, the narrative of Amsterdammers.
Programs like Miami Ink have turned us into semi-
I enjoyed going to brown bars (traditional Dutch pubs)
psychiatrists. People have started making up reasons to
where I ran into the most interesting personalities you
get a tattoo. Like, I’m in a new phase of my life. Or, this
can imagine. They had the greatest stories to tell. These
one’s for my miscarriage.
cafes had a big social function to me.
I’m not saying that it’s nonsense, because it’s very
Do these brown bars still play a big part of your life?
human. But it’s almost as if people feel obligated to get a tattoo with an emotionally attached story to it and
These type of brown bars are slowly disappearing,
then explain all the details to you. You’re not yourself
because of the no-smoking law and because everyone’s
when you’re emotional, and sometimes I have to turn
chasing this “boom boom boom” youth culture. As far
people away and let them first think things through.
as I’m concerned, the social function which bars and
Tattoo artists weren’t used to getting everyone’s
cafés have these days is spreading STDs. They’re filled
misery poured over us, and frankly, sometimes it’s a bit
with windbags who just squall stories that are bullshit.
too much.
I don’t mean to sound like a sourpuss, but Amsterdam
AMSTERDAM
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