Interview with Enzo Brandi

Enzo Brandi, class 1977, tattooist, Neapolitan. His designs and style are impressed on the arms and bodies of many Neapolitan footballers and fans. His aesthetics resembles the city where he was born and still lives. Brandi has played with the contrasts of ever-present Neapolitan, exploiting the mystical and religious side of Catholic symbols and the profane superstition of popular culture. Today, the Neapolitan tattoo adds a new dimension to his art by presenting the "La legge di strada" jewelry collection in collaboration with NOVE25, an Italian brand of silver jewelry. Rings, pendants and a rosary designed to become cult for fans of the great Parthenon tattoo.
We had a chat with Enzo about Neapolitan aesthetics, tattoos, and Marek Hamsik.

Naples has a very particular aesthetic that often mixes sacred and profane: the religious image of Maradona is perhaps the best expression of this complex relationship. How did you manage to communicate it to your new jewels and how did you get through tattoos?

Yes, indeed Naples is a mysterious and magical city, where the sacred and the profane melt in everyday life and give many nuances to art. I begin with tattoos and since I'm always been into the history of the city I started a deep research about the Neapolitan symbolism and translate it into my art. And this is precisely the concept of the collection, unifying sacred and profane to describe a daily reality where honor, respect and humor lie.

Let's talk about your work as a tattoo artist and the special relationship you have with Napoli players. Twenty years ago it was difficult to see a tattoo on a footballer's body, today it is easier. You have tattooed so many - Hamsik, Callejon, Cannavaro and many others - how do you explain this huge growth? Do you think it's just for fashion or just the football that's changed?

My work has allowed me to know so many people and because of this to create a special relationship and trust with them. Twenty years ago it was true, there was not much demand for tattooing, but already there were players who tattooed in my studio ... Sober tattoos in covered areas. Today, as our culture has changed for various factors, people's attitude toward tattoos has changed too. Precisely thanks to those icons and to the constant research of tattooers, today tattoo can be defined as a carrier of culture and not just a temporary fashion.

On Monday you posted on your Instagram a pic of Lorenzo Insigne in your studio, can you tell us what you tattooed him? What tattoos do you usually ask footballers? Which style do they prefer?

Yes, on Monday I had the pleasure of having Lorenzo - one of the strongest players of our time - in my studio. He wanted to tribute a tattoo to his family: two lions, a lioness and a lion on top as a form of protection. Lion depicting strength, courage, and pride is the king of the jungle, so it is a symbol of leadership, pride, and great courage. At the same time incorporates generosity and loyalty, but beware, the lion is also a symbol of revenge. As true warriors, footballers often dedicate tattoos to their own families by following different styles suitable for their personality.

Once you and Marek Hamsik exchanged your positions and he took the needle and tattoed you. How many times have you dreamed of going into the field with Naples shirt as captain? How much do you consider yourself a Napoli's fan?

Yes, that is definitely a sweet memory, that I recall with a lot of joy, given the great friendship that has emerged in the years between me and Marek and his passion for tattoos. My tattoos tell my story, my life and my true friends, whether they are artists or not, make me tattoo for them, not for the design itself but for the energy that is created during the design, execution between the tattoo and the tattoo: a real covenant of blood and ink. I am absolutely a great fan of Napoli but a bad football player, better to leave the band to my friend Marek and continue to follow my dreams.

Frida Napoli will play against Juventus, in perhaps the most important match of the season for a Neapolitan fan, that could be decisive for the Scudetto this year. Explain what it means to play against Juventus? And with Hamsik, do you made a promise in the event of a championship win?

For me, as for all Neapolitan fans, it is a game very perceived for the rivalry between the two teams and the competition that was created for the Scudetto. As for the promise made with Marek ... as true friends, it remains a secret between us.

Speaking about football aesthetic, the football-shirt has become something more than a team uniform but a cult object. Do you have a favorite in Naples or other teams? More generally, do you prefer the 90's or contemporary style?

I'm very attached to the 90s style, all the uniforms of those years and the blue jersey, but my personal tastes lead me to indicate the black with the golden finishes last year worn and signed by my captain. More generally, I like to follow the new trends, having to do every day with young people passing through my studio. Despite preserving unconditional love for the 80s and 90s, today's brands such as Supreme, Nike, Yeezy and much more meet my tastes.

The presentation of the collection will be Thursday, November 30, at the NOVE25 store in via Domenico Morelli 18 in Naples from 6 pm to 11 pm.