Combination of photorealistic surrealistic motifs with abstract elements in black and red
Trash Polka is a tattoo style created by tattoo artists Simone Pfaff and Volker Merschky in Würzburg, Germany.[1][2] The characteristics of Trash Polka tattoos can be a combination of naturalistic, surrealistic,[3] and photorealistic motifs with graphic, lettering, and calligraphic elements primarily in black & red.[4]
Trash polka is a mixed media form of tattooing that is created with various, non-limited components.[5] Detailed photo-realistic portraits can be displayed in conjunction with graphic elements such as large black areas, brush strokes, and geometric or abstract shapes.[6][7] The tattoos are traditionally in
black and red, but other colors can be used as well.[8] The style is often cited for its use of color contrasts, such as complementary contrast, that create an optical effect.[9][10] Abstract designs and realistic motifs are key elements of the tattoo style. It is common for lettering to be included in the tattoos with distinctive varieties of fonts. The majority of original Trash Polka tattoos are done as large scale pieces in order to suit the motifs and elements.[11]
The term 'Trash Polka' was created in 1998 by Volker Merschky and Simone Pfaff at Buena Vista Tattoo Club in Würzburg.[12] The artists originally gave their work the name 'Realistic Trash Polka' because they combined realistic images (Realistic), with graphic, lettering and other artistic layers (Trash).[13] They chose to use it in a musical sense, combining everything together like a composition (Polka).[14] After some time, they shortened the name to Trash Polka because they did not want to set rules for their style.[15] Merschky has referred to their style as a “combination of realism and trash; the nature and the abstract; technology and humanity; past, present, and future; opposites that they are trying to urge into a creative dance to harmony and rhythm in tune with the body."[16] The initial challenges were two-fold: customers wanting to get tattoos in this style were scarce, as there was nothing similar to this
style at the time.[17]
After Merschky studied interior design and Pfaff worked as a graphic designer, they both began tattooing. They are also painters, photographers[18] and musicians.[19] The couple are known to have broken the stereotypes of the classic German tattoo style.[20] They have mixed different styles together such as realistic and graphic tattoos.[21] For example, they would cross a portrait with black lines or insert lettering over a photographic image. They would use meaningful words or bold colour strokes to create powerful visual
representations.[22] This created vibrant contrast on the skin and made the tattoos stand out.[23]
Over time 'Trash Polka' began to receive global recognition & appeared in articles in tattoo magazines, books and websites.[24]
Merschky and Pfaff said "We need open minded customers who can lay their hands off and trust us", but they admitted that many people get offended. The process is usually as follows: A customer comes into the studio, tells them their thematic idea and possible keywords from a song, poem or quote that they want included. Merschky and Pfaff then sit down on the computer, create two to three designs and presents it to the customer. They explained their thought process; "If we only did what people want, we would never have been able to develop anything new," says Merschky. Some of the elements that they use in the tattoos today, they painted years ago.[25] From then on, Merschky and Pfaff influenced many tattoo artists around the world with their style.[26] First in Europe, then Russia, Asia, South America, Australia and in the United States as well.[27]
Dobbs Dead is a music project done by the two artists. Their music, which combines alternative music with American folk / country music with European influences, is characterized by a dark, melancholy feel that they call "post-mortem folk" music.[56] Pfaff played the pump organ and Merschky the guitar / harp / drums, and vocals were done by both of them.[57] They had finished their debut album Birth in the fall of 2010, which include 11 songs of original compositions.[58][59] With their music project, they also performed live regularly with changing band members.[60]
