Manekistefy



Manekistefy grew up in Noale, a little medieval village in the Venice province.
Her fascination for the Japanese culture started when she was a child, with the souls and the cats. Her name is indeed the combination of two loves: one for the Sol Levante and the other for the cats. The ’Manekineko’ is the well-known Japanese fortune cat from she which she was inspired.

manekistefy tatuatore venezia

Since 1997 she manages together with her husband Crez, Adrenalink Tattoo a shop which specializes in Japanese tattooing. She starts tattooing in 2001, becoming Crez’s apprentice. From 2003 the two have traveled all around Japan, working and studying the country’ culture. She closely experienced the Horimono, sharing skills with various Horishi families. She met the ‘Legend Tattooist’ Horihide from Yokosuka, who she considers her mentor.

In addition to tattooing, Manekistefy delved into other aspects of the Japanese culture, examining its painting, religions, architecture, history, literature, aesthetic and philosophy, the overall society’s approach to life. During her conferences she touched upon subjects concerning the traditional Japanese tattooing, the religion, deepening some perspectives such as the taste for the ‘monstrous’ and ‘demoniacal’.

IMG_1819

All these topics are debated on the Adrenalink Youtube channel, a project that was born in cooperation with her husband Crez. The channel has the aim of spreading the Japanese tattooing culture, through the couple’s personal experience.

She has traveled all over the world, working in the USA, Russia, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Holland and England.

Manekistefy is now an experienced tattooing master who has trained various apprentices.

In 2016, her personal exhibition called ‘The female figure in the Japanese folklore’ was set up in Dusseldorf at the ‘1900 Gallery’ and in Rome at the ‘Parione Gallery’. Many were other collective exhibitions in which she took part of, such as the ‘Holy Sinners’ in Milan and ‘Ladies Ladies Ladies’ in New York.

Her works have been published in the book ‘Secret Garden’ edited by Okaasan Books, ‘By all means necessary’, ‘Eleven Fourteen’, ’30 Missing Heroes’ a project edited by Manekistefy and Crez for Tattoo Life.

In the 90’s Manekistefy was deeply involved in the Punk Rock and Oi! scene, organizing concerts and various events. Music has always played a fundamental role in her life, she sang and played the bass in many bands, the most important and long lasting one ‘the Raptus’.

IMG_5349

Adrenalink Dee Jay Set was the name of the crew on which Manekistefy and Crez performed in various shows.

Her upcoming works are

  • ‘Heroes Series’ a collection of 10 boards which represents the artist’s favorite heroes of the Japanese folklore. Available on the following link;
  • artist’s favorite heroes of the Japanese folklore. ‘Me… Tiger’ a collection of NFT digital art, available at the Monmon Collective Gallery – link The topic of this project is an open and direct personal debate with the artist’s ‘internal demons’, creating a personal path towards self-knowledge.
  • Adrenalink, together with the Munedaiko, propose a painting performance accompanied by the sound of Japanese drums, so called ‘Taiko’. The powerful sound of Taiko, shakes emotional anxieties. Its vibrations reach our bodies and bring to light intense feelings. Manekistefy and Crez paint these feelings with shapes and colors.

‘I don’t feel the earth as something to dominate, but rather as an alive entity in which we all take part’ Manekistefy

Manekisefy.