Lucky Hell from Helsinki, Finland
Where did you grow up?
Perth, Western Australia.
How was it growing up there, would you say that it
influenced you?
I was never a big fan of living in Australia, so it motivated
me to get out and travel which influenced me to find more advanced cultures,
where tattoos and performance art had a little more history, where the
development and flow of art is ever growing, moving at a pace that's excites
the creative juices rather than stifles them.
When did you start getting tattoos?
I was 18.
What made you become a circus sideshow artist?
I was doing some burlesque with fire shows when I moved to
Finland, and found the burlesque fun but the fire more exciting to play with. My
husband is a sideshow artist so I started picking up the classic stunts one by
one from him.
How did you find out you could swallow swords?
We have friends that are established sword performers and it
was my partner that wanted to learn (you kind of just teach yourself) but he
would gag the minute anything touched the back of his tongue. I knew that wasn’t
going to happen with me so I gave it a go.
It was very natural. The first
real sword I swallowed (January 2011) kind of just went right in.
When did you start doing suspension shows?
Since 2008, but I have been suspending just for fun since
2004.
Have you ever been injured while performing?
Not until just recently actually. This year I had four Halloween
shows, one of them absolutely everything went wrong. I cut my foot open on a machete, busted a
vein in my cheek and lost more than a litter of blood on stage and to top it
all off, I spilled my fuel and set fire to my table and the stage. It was
crazy, but I learned so many lessons from that show. Insanity.
How would you describe your style?
Hammering nails into your nose, swallowing swords, and bleeding
on stage is not thought as a form of high end entertainment, I'm going to
change that. Nothing about my show is
messy, it's all about timing, glamour, humor and contradictions. I have very stylized choreographed routines,
set to unique combinations of music you would not expect. I am paired with one
of a kind, fully rhinestoned hammers, machetes and swords, and I have my own
custom Lucky Hell suspension rig, also fully blinged out :)
Do you consider tattoos as a serious art form?
Of course, not all tattooists are artist though,
unfortunately.
How do you see the tattoo culture right now?
It's obviously become this trend setting thing right now
which is obviously pretty gross, but at the same time the more mainstream it
becomes the more acceptance it generates.
So it's a catch 22, keep it underground and be treated like scum in many
places, or let it saturate the mainstream and give yuppies and hipsters
bragging rights so we can all catch a little break.
What has been your inspiration for getting them?
I just like how they look, overtime I get something new that
area has changed forever and it's fun to look at for the first few weeks and
appreciate the new picture.
What’s your favorite piece?
I have a few… the start of my horror leg is only one
portrait, Louise from Interview with the Vampire by Lasse Sjöroos at Individual
Ink in Turku Finland, it's just so fucking beautiful.
Do you catch people starring at you because of your ink?
Of course.
In your opinion, do your tattoos change your mood often?
They make me feel better about myself when I'm having some
low self-esteem, I remember that I look pretty colorful in the mirror no matter
how dark my mind might be.
What’s your most significant tattoo and why?
My hand, it's an opium poppy done in blue, (Leena Lumilampi)
it's probably the only tattoo of mine that has some personal meaning behind
it. Both the opium side of it and the
fact it's blue, feeling blue you know.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get their
first tattoo?
Don't just get what all the hardcore kids are getting, it looks
too much like a fucking uniform. Do your research, find a good artist.
What’s your biggest inspiration, what keeps you going?
The randomness of like and chaos theory. Anything can happen; I plan to just keep
pushing until I really can't push any more. Then jump off something pretty.
What is one thing that life has taught you?
Chaos. Love few,
trust fewer and look out for yourself.
Will you be getting anymore?
Yes, my budget right now is focused on money going back into
my art but I think I'll start my back next year.
Do you have a favorite quote?
"Evil is inherent in the human mind, no matter what
innocence may cloak it." Lord of
the Flies
What should people expect from one of your shows?
The unexpected! A high end aesthetic, quick wit on the
microphone, dangerous acrobatics on a bed of machetes, sideshow tools you will
never forget, and a sword swallower of glamorous proportions!
Anything else you would like to add?
Like to say thanks for those who took the time to read this,
if you would like to support me and show me love (<666) please visit my
Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr pages and add/like me. I send out some goodies out
every time I hit a cool number!