Once upon a time there was a Siberian child who, educated by a clan of “honest criminals”, was destined to become a singular oxymoron of ferocity and altruism. He lived in a land covered by icy white expanses of livid and faded beauty, Transnistria – a de facto independent state within Moldovan territory. Right here, in the remote steppes of a still ghost kingdom, men and women who were openly hostile to the Soviet regime, considered dictatorial and corrupt, were deported. Thus communities came to life that survived by practicing illegal activities, provided that these – following a Robin Hood-like philosophy – were against the System. Rebels to all authority yes, but always respectful of a rigorous moral code based on values ​​such as dignity, audacity, tradition, justice, a sense of protection towards the weakest and the culture of tattooing. A practice that went beyond the aesthetic value, elevating the tattoo artist to a crucial figure in a man’s life. “A man’s story is written on his body” was their creed.