Remezcla Meets is a video and editorial series that takes audiences inside the studios of groundbreaking creators, documenting their craft and exploring how their upbringing and Latine heritage shape their work. Through intimate conversations and immersive visuals, this series highlights the voices pushing the boundaries of film, art, culture, and identity.
For this Remezcla Meets we traveled to Puerto Rico to get to know Boricua tattoo artist Krystel Ivannie. Born in San Germán, Puerto Rico she has 15 years of experience in the the tattoo industry. Her career started around 2009 after her best friend took her to a tattoo convention. And it was love at first sight.
Art has always been a part of her story and tattooing elevated her game to a point where people were trusting her with not only their journey, but their histories as well. “I love the versatility of literally putting a tattoo into a person’s skin and to be responsible for that and be part of that journey,” Ivannie said.
Part of that journey for Ivannie is incorporporating her Puerto Rican identity into her art. Going through her Instagram you can see iconic symbols from Puerto Rico like La Flor de Maga and Taíno symbols like the coquí or the sun in her tattoos.
According to Ivannie, her taking this step in artistry is due to her time living in Hawai’i. “Hawai’i showed me a lot of lessons on history. I learned that our histories are very similar to Puerto Rico,” Ivannie said, comparing our history of colonization and gentrification that displaces the native communities there.
That led her to realize that being displaced leaves people feeling disconnected from their roots. And maybe she could be a part of changing that by creating art that told the history of Puerto Rico and allowed Boricuas to take a part of the island with them no matter where they go. “There’s a demand to have a part of our island and what better way to do it than a tattoo?”
Watch this edition of Remezcla Meets with Krystel Ivannie below and see her tattoo a little piece of Puerto Rico on our very own Trending Editor and Boricua Lyra Hale.
P.S. If you’re interested in seeing the completed piece from Krystel Ivannie, click here.
