MEMBER FEATURE:

Our monthly Member Feature aims to showcase the talent that occupies our buildings and celebrate their work.

This month, we had the pleasure of interviewing Rockella Space Member Raul Bussot. Based at One Eyed Studios, Bussot is a painter and tattoo artist whose practice merges architectural precision with surreal, body-centered imagery. Drawing from his Cuban heritage and background in design, his work blurs the boundaries between ritual, memory, and transformation—whether rendered on canvas or skin.

Rooted in both classical art history and contemporary bodywork, Bussot’s practice explores the tension between permanence and impermanence. With a foundation in architecture from Pratt Institute and a personal mythology shaped by his upbringing in Havana and Miami, he creates meticulously rendered pieces that transform traditional forms into intimate visual narratives. Whether tattooing or painting, Bussot treats the body as a site of devotion, imagination, and embodied history.

To learn more about the creatives who call Rockella Space home, head over to the People page for a full list of in-depth interviews.

Photo Boyz Bieber

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Raul Bussot. I was born in Havana, Cuba, during a time of significant economic hardship and political turmoil. When I was five years old, my family and I immigrated to Miami, Florida, seeking a better future. Even as a child, I understood that the pursuit of art would shape the course of my life.

I attended an art magnet high school in Miami’s Design District, and in 2006, moved to New York to study architecture at Pratt Institute. After earning my degree, I found myself unsure of what to do next. On the advice of a friend, I accepted a position teaching English in Seoul, South Korea—a move that ultimately changed my life. Toward the end of my contract, I serendipitously met two tattoo artists whose passion and artistry inspired me to pursue the craft.

As a tattoo artist, my intention is to serve the project. I encourage people to break convention and draw inspiration from personal history and mythology.  Concepts are fleshed out collaboratively with clients, allowing for a sense of ownership that goes beyond wearing the art. It’s a lot to ask someone to come in for a tattoo without knowing exactly what we’ll create—but it’s also what makes the process exciting and alive.

How long have you been at Rockella Space and what is your favorite thing about having a studio at One Eyed Studios?

I moved into my studio in February of 2022. Apart from the well-maintained facilities, what I value most about One Eyed Studios is its location – situated between Bushwick and Ridgewood, it retains a sense of authenticity that is increasingly rare in New York City.

We have quite a number of tattoo artists in our building. Have you connected and/or created a community with any other artists in the building?

I have yet to build strong connections with the other tattoo artists at One Eyed Studios. Management at One Eyed Studios does a great job fostering the broader artist community—perhaps this could be an opportunity to create a network among the tattooers.

Tell us about your work. What inspires you to create the work that you do?

My work is predominantly representational and figurative, deeply rooted in my technical background. My education in architecture and lifelong passion for classical art have drawn me to practices that require discipline, precision, and reverence for detail. I am inspired by beauty—both natural and man-made—and by the artist’s ability to capture and translate the world around them.

Photo Boyz Bieber

Your work has a striking, almost surreal quality—what are some of your biggest artistic influences, both inside and outside of tattooing?

The artists of the Italian Renaissance were my first mentors. When I was a teenager, my parents bought me a compilation of Leonardo da Vinci’s anatomical studies. The obsessive level of detail and effortless grace with which he sketched captivated me.

Today, my influences extend to contemporary painters like Mark Maggiori, Jeremy Mann, and Burton Silverman—all artists whose work exhibits both technical mastery and emotional resonance. Within the world of tattooing, I am inspired by artists like Alex Sorsa, Carlos Torres, and Matt Jordan for their figurative work, as well as artists like Juvel Vasquez (FIBS), Stefan Halbwachs, and Isabella Chiara B (Filouino), who transform the human body into living art.

How do you start a tattoo? Tell us about your process.

The first step is always a loose marker sketch directly on the skin. This allows the client to see how a piece will look and move with the body. I also use this initial phase to test various concepts and approaches.

Through the process of testing, we are guiding the project and developing a dialogue. Sometimes I pull a book from my library, or reference a photo I took. Other times, there is no image to reference and we build around the natural contours of the body. We carefully allow the project to lead us.

Days can be very long working in this way. Many times, conceptualizing a project will take longer than tattooing it. Once the tattooing begins, I work very diligently, stopping only for short breaks. By the end of our time spent together, I hope people are not only happy to wear beautiful art, but that they felt connected to the experience.

Photo Boyz Bieber

You’ve described your tattoos as “marks of memory” rather than just images. How does storytelling factor into your designs?

I’m not sure I was the one who originally said that—or if I did I can’t recall the context!

That said, it resonates with the idea of a “personal mythology.” Tattoos can represent our gods, heroes, culture, vices, paradoxes, and memories. They can be read individually or collectively, telling different stories to each viewer. It’s a privilege to help bring these moments to life and to string them across the body like a living narrative.

Your studio at One Eyed Studios feels like it exists in a time warp, unlike a typical tattoo space. What inspired the design and atmosphere of your studio?

My studio is the culmination of a lifetime of collecting art and curiosities. I treat these objects as colors and paint them across the space. Every corner feels like an altar meant to hold the viewer’s attention—it’s like tattooing inside of a treasure chest, surrounded by my own treasures.

Your tattooing style feels deeply personal, almost like artifacts from another world. How do you approach designing a piece for a client while maintaining your unique aesthetic?

What makes each piece special is how much the client is involved. Over the years, I’ve come to embrace the role of facilitator. Inviting the client’s ideas into the process always leads to surprise. This way of working forces adaptation, making the final piece feel more personal while still staying true to my style.

I’m certainly not alone in this approach—I admire many artists who honor the client’s intention while still producing work that feels wholly their own.

Photo Boyz Bieber

Your work often has a historical or esoteric quality. Are there any particular eras, cultures, or philosophies that influence your visual language?

Variety is what keeps tattooing alive for me. While I often reference classical sculpture, botanical illustration, Art Nouveau, academic art, and architecture, sometimes I simply channel the spirit of an artist or movement. It’s the challenge of synthesising multiple influences that keeps the work exciting.

You’re an artist beyond tattooing—your work extends into other mediums. How do your non-tattoo artworks influence your tattoo practice and vice versa?

I tend to keep the two worlds fairly separate. There’s an inevitable connection because it’s the same hand creating both, but that’s where the relationship ends for me.

Painting allows me to escape tattooing, and tattooing frees me from the constraints of painting. Tattoos, however romantic they are, are transactional and exist within a relatively short time frame. Oil painting—the kind that I enjoy—is a long, tedious process. Ultimately, the two balance me as an artist and nourish different parts of my personality.

Tattooing is often a collaborative experience. How do you navigate the balance between your artistic vision and your clients’ ideas? What excites you most about the future of tattooing, and where do you see your work evolving next?

Unless someone has experienced a private studio setting, they often don’t realize the possibilities available to them. Being attentive and sensitive when delivering information is vital, but so is remaining flexible and open.I can share my opinion because I took the time to listen first—and I remain open to being guided in an unfamiliar direction.

Artists have been pushing the boundaries of design, technical ability, execution, and versatility since tattooing began. What I find beautiful about modern tattooing is how interdisciplinary it has become. The growing opportunity to explore practices surrounding the act of tattooing is what excites me most about the future. For example, Matt Jordan photographs elaborate scenes to use as reference for his tattoos, and Rita Zolotukhina (Rit Kit) uses live flowers dipped in stencil dye for transfers. These practices expand the space of tattooing, creating a dialogue that deepens our connection to the craft.

As for my own future, I aim to collaborate more in the coming years. In doing so I hope to expand my process and shift existing limitations.

If you were to invite anyone alive or dead to a dinner party, who would be on your guest list?

Salvador Dalí, Cleopatra, Victor Hugo, Freddie Mercury, Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Darwin, Marcus Gavius Apicius, Esther Perel, and Giorgio Vasari.

As much as I would hope for a performance from Freddie or insight into the source of Dali’s inspiration, the organic interaction between such a diverse group would be far more profound.

Photo Boyz Bieber

What advice would you give to aspiring artists, particularly those wanting to move to NYC, who are looking to pursue a career in the art world?

Train yourself to be resourceful, and stay open to learning—especially skills that may not seem immediately relevant to your art.

Remember that from the very beginning, artists have been representing the world around them: criticizing, celebrating, documenting, transforming, and unraveling reality. How can your work contribute to this tradition?

Where can people see your work in IRL or online, and how can people contact you for a studio visit? (Add links to social media, website, etc)

Tattoo Instagram – @Bussot.studio

Tattoo website Bussot.com

My Booking form can be found on my instagram and website

Art instagram – @Raulbussot

Art website – raulbussot.com