Ruslan and Antonina Abusev are tattoo artists from Perm, Russia. United by shared ideas and a common career path, they founded The Abusev Family tattoo studio, where they bring their original projects to life. Today, we present a short conversation with Ruslan and Antonina, in which the artists share their thoughts and approach to tattoo creation, as well as talk about their signature project — Biografika.
Let's start with the traditional opener: Tell us a bit about yourselves. How did it all begin, and how did you get into the art of tattooing? Do you have a design or art education?
A tattoo artist, by all means, is quite a faceless figure — or, on the contrary, as it often happens in modern commercial society, the so-called "tattoo artist" becomes a sort of printing machine with a heavily advertised lifestyle, almost like a show. We prefer to remain tattoo creators — that's our life stance.
Let’s not use the word ART. Every teenager has drawn on themselves or a friend's skin — at school or in summer camp. The foundation was laid in rebellious youth, then reinforced by a growing passion for drawing and the desire to preserve it on the skin. I built my first tattoo machine long before adulthood and began practicing — first on myself, then on friends, and it went on from there. I wasn’t taught by anyone — I learned everything on my own. Tattooing brought Tonya and me together in 2013, when she came to me asking for a cover-up of an old hand-poked tattoo she had done herself. That’s how it all began.
We both developed our artistic abilities through life experiences in different places and at different times.
There’s no point going deep into detail — otherwise, there’ll be no room left for the rest of the interview.
Let’s continue. When did the idea of creating a family tattoo studio come about? What challenges did you face while bringing this project to life?
It didn’t happen all at once. It’s not a concept or a business idea! How could you imagine creating something separately when you're with that person every day? Challenges? We wouldn’t call them challenges… It's a path — a path with different kinds of obstacles. Not many duos truly know how to create together. As a couple, we have a lot in common… and a little secret.
Tell us about the journey that led to the formation of your signature style. What styles did you enjoy working in before?
We don’t call it a style — it’s more like a signature. You can trace it through everything: from the birth of the tattoo idea and its creation to its final presentation. We never tried to stick to a single approach — we experimented with techniques, color, and composition. A tattoo isn’t a souvenir — it requires an individual approach because each person wearing our work has their own life and anatomy. In our view, a “style” is a limitation that belongs to canvas, walls, or any surface other than skin.
Let’s talk a little about Biografika. Is it a tattoo interpretation of the classic understanding of “biography”? Or is it a new vision — a combination of nature-inspired elements and ornamental graphics? Is Biografika the product of joint effort, or was it created by one of you? How did the idea come about?
The idea didn’t come out of nowhere! To this day, we’re exploring interesting and unique ways to apply our skills and reinterpret subjects into tattoos. Strangely enough, the name Biografika partly stems from the Russian word for biography — “biografia.”
In our interpretation, a tattoo is a reflection of the person wearing it — it LIVES on them! Any tattoo on someone’s skin changes how others see them and how they see themselves — it can alter their life or even turn it completely around. Either you use your tattoo in life, or your tattoo uses you — but it will never be indifferent. That’s the foundation of Biografika. On the visual side, its storylines and shapes combine biological forms — often fantastical — always designed with the wearer’s anatomy in mind.
How often do you work together on a project?
We always collaborate when designing a project. Unfortunately, when it comes to the actual tattooing process, we can’t always work as a duet — some body parts are just too small for both of us to work on at the same time.
Your approach is truly interesting and high-quality — not only in tattoos but also in the way you present your work through photography. Can you share your tattoo philosophy?
It’s a search for the ideal formula that lies between the creation and the creator — a kind of perfectionism at every level. That’s why we’re always more excited by the freshness of an idea rather than just refining the same technical skills over and over again.
Do you participate in tattoo conventions? Can you share your plans for the near future? Any events you’re going to attend? Are you working on any special projects now?
Until recently, we hadn’t even thought about participating in tattoo conventions. But with tattooing turning into a social industry, like many other tattooers, we now have to accept some of its conditions. It’s all in the works.
As for the future, we’re assembling a team for an exciting project, but it’s too early to talk about it publicly. A powerful launch is planned about two years from now.
Ideas are constantly being born and evolving — they go through different stages of sketching, and so on. You must understand — it’s hard to describe in words… if only we had enough skin to bring them all to life.
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