Italian tattooist Brando Chiesa calls his work “pastel gore,” and the description is so apt. His bold neo-traditional style is seeping with cotton candy pinks, mint greens, and lilac. Despite this subdued palette, the content of his work is grotesque. His imagery is often inspired by Japanese pop culture—including animated films by Hayao Miyazaki and Pokemon—and given a visceral twist. Things ooze and burst from characters’ skin and their limb cut and bloody. For those faint of heart, Chiesa’s work can be hard to stomach—but they’re so well crafted it’s nearly impossible to look away.
Images © Brando Chiesa