ALEX BASLER
Photo by Tj Walker
DIY tattoo artist and painter Alex Basler brings a refreshingly “naive” approach to the Chicago tattoo scene. Exploring themes of gender and femininity, Alex’s playful artistic style radiates joyful energy that connects with art lovers of all identities.
Basement: What inspires your work?
Alex: With tattooing right now I feel most inspired by the medium itself and other tattooers. I still feel like such a student of tattooing I’m just trying to be a sponge and suck up anything and everything about tattooing that I can. With my work as a whole I think the complexities of femininity are always present.
Basement: What themes and narratives do you hope come across in your work?
Alex: The main themes my work deals with are femininity, domesticity, gender, and belonging. But I also really hope a sense of joy is present in all my work as well!
Basement: Why tattooing? What attracts you to this specific and unique form of art?
Alex: I think what initially interested me in tattooing was the experience itself. I love how intimate it is and how present in my body it made me feel. It’s also essentially always a collaboration between the artist and client which I really love. I think especially right now I really crave art making with others it’s one of my favorite parts of creative work.
Basement: How did you get into tattooing?
Alex: I’ve been tattooing for about a year and a half on and off. When I was 18 I immediately got a tattoo at a local shop in the suburbs. I had a few mediocre experiences with shops in college where I was kind of made to feel uncomfortable for what I wanted on my body. But I still really loved getting tattooed I was hooked from the first one! The sense of bodily autonomy I felt was amazing. It wasn’t until I went to Montreal and got tattooed by Char Bataille that I felt totally comfortable in a tattoo space it was life changing. I started to see tattooing as an artistic space that I could see myself exploring and then coming back to Chicago and visiting time being kind of sealed the deal for me. I was like this is the kind of space I want to be in, people I want to be around, art I’d like to explore. And I’ve been working towards it ever since !
Basement: How would you describe your style?
Alex: I think as a painter and tattooer I see my art in the naive art genre but I’ve got some formal training from some studio classes in college so I don’t think I fit super neatly into that category. My painting at this point is still very much a regurgitation of a lot of different visual languages and styles that I see and like. For the most part I just try to have fun painting and creating tattoo designs and hope that comes through. I feel like a painting is successful if I could see it hanging up in a friends house and if it brings people I love joy! With tattooing I’m definitely not tied to any one style. There’s so much to explore with the medium and i feel like I’m just getting started. There’s so much room to experiment and explore with tattooing which is one of the reasons it’s such an exciting medium and attracting a lot of artists from other mediums I think! For now I just identify with queer DIY tattooing.
“Untitled” 12” x 16”, acrylic on canvas, 2020
“Brighter Day” 24”x 36”, acrylic on canvas, 2020
Basement: What do you wish people knew about tattooing?
Alex: Before tattooing I didn’t realize how the apprenticeship system allows a lot of cis white men to be gatekeepers of the industry and hide shop secrets. DIY tattooers, and specifically Black and indigenous tattooers, are doing a LOT of work to make the industry a more inclusive and comfortable space for tattooers and clients.
Basement: Has being in Chicago influenced your work as a tattoo artist? Is the tattoo scene unique?
Alex: Being in Chicago has definitely influenced my work. I think it is and isn’t unique. There are certainly DIY tattoo communities in cities around the world and it’s amazing to connect with those folks through Instagram and feel apart of an international community. But at the same time I’m learning specifically from the folks here in Chicago who I’m able to do trades with and see and I feel so grateful for the people I’ve been able to connect with. Everyone has been so kind and eager to share knowledge and lift each other up. It’s been an incredible experience.
Basement: Looking ahead, what do you hope for the future of the tattoo industry? What needs to change/progress?
Alex: It seems like the industry is moving away from the apprenticeship as a necessity to be a “legit” tattoo artist and I hope that continues. I hope it continues to become a more inclusive and welcoming space for Black, Indigenous, and queer tattooers and artists alike. For a while the industry was heading in such a macho masculine direction with shops just being boys clubs and almost an expectation that you have to withstand being uncomfortable to really get a tattoo. I really hope that continues to get turned on it’s head and we continue to build up around community and comfort.
“Untitled”, 9.5” x 8'“, acrylic on thrifted canvas, 2020