Eric Edward
​Signature Pachakuth
​In conversation with Eric Edward on his artistic journey, and taking the leap to realize his childhood dream of building a community space, and creating signature art.
When discussing the art and craft of tattooing, the word ‘Pachakuth’ is not commonly heard in Kerala. Well, until 2020. When we sat down with Eric Edward, the founder of Pachakuth Tattoo Studio to discuss his journey of trying to ‘not’ be a struggling artist in his beautiful curated space, there was a sense of resoluteness that he emanated. He had always carried the identity of being an artist and had tried to find conventional ways to make money from his craft - from wearable art to architecture. Though it was certain pursuing art would be his ikigai, his unexpected tryst with a friend in Poland led him to tattoo artistry. With the microphone tucked into his collar, we listened to his story of his life’s twists and serendipitous turns for him to realize this dream.
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The studio space of Pachakuth with its exposed walls, meticulously curated odds and ends, and the space for creatives to gather is just the first leg in realizing the dream he had as a 17-year-old, Eric confessed while taking us behind the scenes at Pachakuth.
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Afterall, when he had snuck away to get his first tattoo and proclaimed the words ‘Chase your dreams’ on his chest, he had no idea that body art would become his calling. Knowing your identity is that of an artist and finding a way to make a living from your art are two disparate dreams. But after years of bearing the artist title, he found his answer to ‘what kind of artist’ he should be, was truly discovered during his time in Poland.
He owes many things to serendipity, but a strong belief in his artistic vision and willingness to hustle relentlessly for his passion is also what has gotten Eric so far. And today, despite Pachakuth having become rightfully synonymous with tattoos among Malayalis, Eric Edward, told us that his work is just beginning.
“Knowing your identity is that of an artist and finding a way to make a living from your art are two disparate dreams.”
When talking about his life’s course, he shared how there is much more to being a successful artist than blindly ‘chasing dreams’. He took a flying leap, while staying true to his calling and this integrity is perhaps what has led him to an ardent community of tattoo enthusiasts. Frequented by artists, patrons, and friends, Pachakuth Tattoo studio has become a microcosm of the world Eric had dreamed of creating; one where people are united in their love for art and provide space and freedom to exist as oneself. He still isn’t sure if the world has become more accepting of tattoos, or if he has expertly crafted a space that is accepting of those like him.
But from being a young dropout who slept on the beaches of Goa, to doing odd jobs to buy his first tattooing equipment while in Poland, undergoing his formal training in Mumbai and finally taking The Leap to start his own studio, Eric Edward is someone who’s life’s challenges took him around the world, and ultimately back home to Kerala, and inspired the inception of Pachakuth.
​​Taking The Leap
When he returned home after his stint in Goa, he knew that his path forward would be as an artist, but his family still had expectations of him gaining at least a professional degree like architecture, before striking out on his own. As a means to an end, he moved to Poland after having found a course he could finish in the least amount of time. While he excelled at the artistic modules, he could see the technical aspects eluding him yet again. The same experience repeated in Poland and he dropped out of not one, but two different colleges of architecture. But amidst all this, he had found fellow creatives like himself who included fine artists, graphic designers, sculptors and more. Eric mentioned, “When I ended up dropping out of not one, but two institutes in Poland for Architecture, I was still part of artist spaces - doing graffiti and street art and some of my friends would ask me to do tattoo designs for them.”
Despite designing tattoos, he didn’t consider trying his hand at it until he met Veronica. A passing conversation with the tattoo enthusiast and artist about her body art led Eric to the world of tattooing. He mentions, “What started off as helping her out to move, led to a conversation about the tattoos that she had all over her body. I was surprised to learn that she had no background as an artist, but did them with stencils.” Over his remaining time in Poland, he learned more about the technical aspects of tattooing from the community space he was introduced to by Veronica. He went on, “I got suggestions from the tattoo artists I’d met, did odd jobs like Uber Eats delivery, and bought the basic equipment I’d need to get started and started teaching myself.”
“What started off as helping her out to move, led to a conversation about the tattoos that she had all over her body. I was surprised to learn that she had no background as an artist, but did them with stencils.”
Eventually in 2018, Eric moved back to India, but this time with the plan to turn his artistic capabilities into a profession as a tattoo artist. He enrolled for a short course in Mumbai and learnt the many elements of tattooing. His time in Mumbai was a time of awakening - he knew he’d finally found the form of art that he could make a living out of. He’d discovered parts of himself during his journey till then, but now it was a matter of untangling the varying threads that made him who he was and creating a path and a space where he could realize it. The shift in mindset that he experienced here was defined as simply being a ‘spiritual shift’ by him. But after his Mumbai stint, Eric was assured that by being the most authentic version of himself, growth was something that would happen organically.
​Building Pachakuth
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After a lifetime of figuring out what his calling was, Eric today is living the dream he had as the young artist who snuck out to get his first tattoo. With its exposed white walls, showcasing art pieces, original and collected, Pachakuth is a studio that feels like a cross between an art gallery and a sanctuary. Founded in 2020, Pachakuth started with Eric but has expanded to having multiple artists, each with their unique style and approach. The ambience is warm and inviting, fostering a sense of belonging and community, for all those who step in. It is a space that could have perhaps provided sanctuary to a struggling artist like Eric once was.
As someone who can’t fathom the idea of living a life that isn’t led by his passion, Eric continues to dream of building this space and the community he has built around it further. “I know that no matter what, art is what I want to do. Even if I lose a limb or two, I’d still teach myself to continue practicing my art. The only way I’d stop my practice is when I cease living.” In a world that restricts and limits us to play pre-designated roles and pathways in life, Eric is someone who has designed his life, much like one of his signature tattoos.
Constantly curious and teaching himself on the daily, Eric continues to experiment with his art at Pachakuth. Having found himself fellow artists, and a community in Kochi, he continues to innovate with each new design and mentioned that his favorite tattoo is always his next one. “The process of creating a tattoo is perhaps the best part of it for me, rather than seeing a finished work. That period of designing a tattoo and brainstorming on it is something that gives me the best thrill”, Eric added on.
Evolving and experimenting with designs is the part of being an artist that Eric has always loved. While a lot of tattoo artists have a signature style, Eric has a voracity for learning new styles, and making it his own. While he has been playing around more with styles like surrealism and tribal bold-line of late, he mentioned how his artistic style changes with the times. “When I got into tattooing, I started doing art that was more tattooable, since all art that one draws on a canvas can't be done on the body.” Eric went on, “So I started with the basic line works, then moved on to the likes of realism, hyper-realism, neo-traditional, bio-organic, to learn and understand what I could do best.” As opposed to many who consider the meaning of a tattoo as sacrosanct, Eric puts the aesthetics first and thinks that all art is subjective and can be interpreted in a million different ways.
Today, his art speaks for itself. The same young kid who learned the basics of tattooing from an amateur artist is now part of a movement in shifting perceptions around tattoo culture in Kerala. He has built a space where not just tattoos, but art and artists of all schools can converge and thrive. He still ponders if he has found the right circle that appreciates his art and perspective, or if the world around him has changed to become more accepting. But there is a space for him today that is truly his own. He is creating original artwork whose value transcends the ordinary. His art isn't simply gracing private spaces but rather borne on the body by his loyal patrons, and displayed proudly as an 'Original Eric Edward' from Pachakuth.
