1978

The origin

Switzerland

1980

The journey

Ibiza

1982

Eagles, roses and dragons

Rota

Mao and Cathy moved on to Rota (Cadiz), where there is a North American military base; the ideal place to set up their first tattoo studio and the first tattoo studio in Spain (up until this moment people had their tattoos done at home or in the backrooms of shops). Soldiers asked for traditional designs: eagles, military emblems of their divisions, roses, mythological animals and girl’s names.

Many tattoo artists and students passed through their studio and they exchanged techniques and information. Among these people Lucio, an apprentice from the early days of the Rota studio, became a member of the team until the end of this stage.

On their National identification cards both of them had “tattooist” as their profession, something that appeared very rarely in the history of Spain.

1986

Voyage to Italy

La Maddalena

1990

The first generation

Cartagena

1992

La movida

Madrid

Mao started to combine his work in the studio in Cartagena with the management of the shop ‘’The Devil’s Hammer’ in the Spanish capital where the photographer García-Alix, the musician Ambite and the painter Ana Matías were also working. After 14 months of coming and going every two weeks they finally decided to move to Madrid.

They opened their new studio in San Vicente Ferrer Street. Here they not only did tattoos but gave advice and sold motorcycle parts and accessories (mainly for Harley-Davidson), they became a contact and meeting point in the cultural sector. Alaska, Andrés Calamaro, Julián Infante, writers, painters such as Javier de Juan, among many other young people interested in new trends became their frequent visitors. It’s 1993 and Madrid was breathing in a new environment of liberation which many wanted to express through means of tattoos.

Mao and Cathy’s dream was becoming a reality: the tattoo had stopped being something marginal and was now a popular art.

1996

Expansion of the culture

Madrid

1998

The return

Ibiza

1999

The end of the millenium

2016

The present

Madrid

Mao & Cathy is the oldest tattoo studio in Spain. Apart from their own experience, the support of their team of professional and prestigious tattooists and their use of top quality materials, they have been pioneers in the standardization of sanitary and hygiene rules within the sector. Their tattooists frequently attend and take part in international conferences to both display and further improve their work.

Their work regularly appears in media publications.

What distinguishes them however is their capacity to create unique tattoos, adapted specifically to the client and always carried out by the best trained professionals.

Mao & Cathy have received countless mentions and international prizes, and at the moment have four studios running; three in Madrid (in the Malasaña and Ópera neighbourhoods) and one in Barcelona (in the Raval neighbourhood).

The

Tattooers

Our

Heritage

1978

The origin

Switzerland

1980

The journey

Ibiza

1982

Eagles, roses and dragons

Rota

1986

Voyage to Italy

La Maddalena

1990

The first generation

Cartagena

1992

La movida

Madrid

1996

Expansion of the culture

Madrid

1998

The return

Ibiza

1999

The end of the millenium

2016

The present

Madrid