Adam Curlykale, originally from Kaliningrad, Russia, got his first tattoo at the age of 20: a small phrase on his arm that read “I am”. Over time, like many of his early tattoos, it became covered with a thick layer of black ink and has now disappeared.
Now 32 years old, Adam has transformed almost his entire body into a living canvas, including his eyeballs, leaving only 10% of his skin untouched – and he harbors ambitions to complete it. His next steps include tattooing his armpits and lower body, with the later addition of intricate mandalas on his palms and the soles of his feet, inspired by Hindu and Buddhist symbolism.
“I always knew I was different from others,” Adam explains. “Gray has always been my favorite color, in all its shades, which is why my skin is now graphite-colored. I create my tattoos because it’s my body and my vision. I take it one step at a time. Life is short; I’ve stopped worrying about tomorrow. I live here and now.”
His philosophy of “living in the moment” stems from a life-altering ordeal. At 22, Adam was diagnosed with colon cancer. Months of radiation, chemotherapy, molecular therapy, and stem cell treatments weakened his immune system. Although he survived, he developed several skin conditions, including partial depigmentation similar to albinism.
The consequences of these events severely impacted his mental health: Adam suffered from depression, eating disorders, and even attempted suicide. “I didn’t accept myself, and neither did others,” he recalls. “Tattoos helped me find myself again. I became beautiful in my own eyes.”
Last September, Adam took his transformation even further by getting his eyeballs tattooed and covering his entire face, sharing the whole process on Instagram.
Besides his work as a tattoo artist, Adam is a psychologist, beautician, artist, hairdresser, and singer. His atypical appearance has also opened doors for him in alternative modeling.
“People like me are rarely featured in mainstream media,” Adam explains. “Body modification is feared. I’m not always taken seriously because of my appearance. Sometimes I feel like my appearance is an obstacle. I’ve never wanted to pursue conventional professions like doctor, lawyer, or priest. Society often denies me the right to live freely, let alone find a real job.”
“I don’t want to work for anyone, for anyone. I want to be self-reliant, to embrace independence and creativity. I will die fulfilled, knowing that I have lived life to the fullest, according to my own rules, in harmony with myself.”
“I’m not so different from others. I eat, I sleep, I cry and I laugh like everyone else. I’m neither better nor worse; I’m simply myself, and that’s enough for me.”
