Why I created the Luxembourg Tattoo Convention – Meet Samuel Chopin

Welcome to the LTC Journal. Here, we will meet the artists and professionals who bring tattooing to life. To open the series, we are going back to the beginning. Why does the Luxembourg Tattoo Convention exist? Founder Samuel Chopin tells us in his own words.

Before we talk about the convention, who are you?

I am a father of three girls, and I am a nurse. Alongside that, I have a passion for tattooing and a project that takes up an enormous part of my life: the LTC.

What made you want to create the Luxembourg Tattoo Convention?

I was already passionate about tattoos and had a few myself, though I have many more today. Meeting people in the industry was what really sparked the idea. I wanted to create an event that would put tattooing and tattoo artists at the centre.

Today, Olivier Poinsignon, Arnaud Pradier and Gotik Collen support me and give me advice about the convention. I take what they say seriously and use it to improve the event. Honestly, without them, it would not be where it is today.

Why Luxembourg?

I am Luxembourgish, so it was also a choice from the heart. I wanted to showcase this country and show that Luxembourg has a place on the international tattoo convention scene.

Luxembourg sits between France, Belgium and Germany. There are so many talented artists across this region, and the country is easy to reach for tattoo artists travelling from further afield too.

What do you want visitors and tattoo artists to feel when they arrive?

I want visitors to see the standard we are trying to build, enjoy themselves, and leave saying, “Wow, I went and it was great!” The talks add another dimension: they help people discover the craft and the people behind the tattoos.

As for the tattoo artists, I want them to feel that what we are building is for them. We are trying to raise the standard of the convention, including by inviting artists whose work I admire. I want the LTC to give them the recognition they deserve and help move things forward.

What did the first edition teach you?

How important it is to surround yourself with the right people. I also learned that nothing is perfect, and that you have to listen to feedback from both artists and visitors. There were difficulties during the first edition. I have tried to take the comments on board while preparing the next one, particularly when it comes to communicating about the event. It still will not be perfect, but we are working on it.

Some of my best memories are the talks, the competitions and conversations with tattoo artists at the end, when we had already started dismantling everything. What they said really stayed with me.

What would you like visitors to understand better about tattooing?

Tattoo artists are artists, not Pinterest photocopiers. Of course a client comes in with an idea, but they can also give the artist room to create something that is truly their own.

I also want people to experience something of the technique involved. At the second edition, visitors will be able to try tattooing on banana skin with Banana Ink. Holding a machine and making a line yourself, even in those conditions, gives you an idea of the skill it takes.

And the price of a tattoo is not a number pulled out of thin air. It reflects time, skill, creativity and a professional who needs to make a living from their work. Always chasing the lowest price does not guarantee quality, and it does not necessarily help artists.

What keeps you going?

The feedback from tattoo artists and visitors. I see that this is a difficult period for many artists in France and elsewhere in Europe. I want to help in whatever way I can, including by giving the public opportunities to understand their work better.

I also believe tattoo artists would benefit from supporting one another more. If they want their profession to gain recognition and move forward, working together will take them further than tearing each other down.

What is your dream for the LTC?

I would love it to become an unmissable event in the tattoo world. I would not presume to say that it will happen, but I put an enormous amount of energy and time into this project, without always receiving anything in return.

More than anything, I would like people to see an artist who has won an LTC award and immediately think, “Wow, that artist is seriously good.”