Southbank couple support local artists with new tattoo studio

After investing their savings in their boutique tattoo business just over two years ago, Southbank residents Dylan and Munzo have turned their dream into a reality.

The couple runs Studio Absent in Flinders Lane, in which they pride themselves on offering unique, high-quality tattoos with a focus on customer satisfaction.

Studio Absent calls one of Melbourne’s heritage buildings Tavistock House its home, which the couple said offered a unique atmosphere of old meeting new, with the minimalist interior decoration combined with the heritage features such as high ceilings, large windows, and heavy doors.

“We wanted somewhere a bit private that feels like a sanctuary. Somewhere to escape the bustle of the city, but not so far away that it was a chore to get to,” Dylan said.

The couple said their studio had a focus on blackwork, surrealist, and abstract tattoos, though their artists covered a wide range of other styles such as anime and traditional Japanese tattoos.

“The artists go the extra mile by altering a design on the day to fit the unique contours of a client’s body,” Dylan added.

The studio was launched just after the Melbourne’s lockdowns with the new parents admitting that running the business as a new family had been a challenging experience “but the people we work with and have met on our journey so far have really lightened the load”.

“We love to support local artists by featuring their work and are looking forward to hosting many more events in the future,” Munzo said, who has been working in the tattoo industry for some time and felt that there was “something missing that I could bring to the table”.

Together, Munzo and Dylan poured their savings into equipment, licences, and finding the right premises.

They said Studio Absent has since collaborated with other local businesses on crossover events, including a Halloween Flash Day with Yarra Falls, also in Flinders Lane, in which food and a beverage were provided by Yarra Falls with each tattoo.

All the artists as well as the owner of Yarra Falls Brendan Keown dressed up in their favourite Halloween garb.

“A more recent event took a different approach. It was not a tattooing event, but a literal underground art exhibition at Sub Club.

Complete with a DJ, UV-painted performer, and finger food provided by The Bao Project, local Melbourne artists, as well as Studio Absent’s more canvas-inclined tattoo artists, kindly created stunning original pieces for the event,” the couple said.

For more information contact Studio Absent on 0470 327 633, or book through their website •