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Vali Myers: World's Evilest Tattoo Artist?
Inhisbook
Chelsea Horror Hotel,
DeeDeeRamone wrotekindthingsaboutValiMyers.
104
Hewasmostimpressedbyherelaboratetattoos,wordsinscribedinalanguagethathecalled
“unreadable… part pagan and part paranormal.” Vali gave Dee Dee a tattoo of three dots ar-
ranged in an equilateral triangle on his hand. Dee Dee said it was the most evil tattoo in the
world.
Decades before tattoos had become fashionable, she tattooed a Da-li-esque moustache
on her own upper lip, forever ruling out a day job. But she adorned more than skin—her
paintings and drawings achieved underground renown, appearing in magazines like Pent-
house. Born in Australia, she lived a peripatetic life. In 1970, she moved into the Chelsea.
She knew Andy Warhol and Abbie Hoffman, Jean Cocteau and Jean Genet. In addition to
tattooing Dee Dee Ramone's hand, she tattooed a lightning bolt on Patti Smith's knee in
the room Smith shared with Robert Mapplethorpe. Ultimately, Vali moved back to Aus-
tralia—Melbourne—where she died of cancer at 72. Her life was featured in three films.
Her artwork is trippy, mythic, and baroque, some of it done with airbrush in a way that
resembles contemporary graffiti art. Considering her penchant for tattoos and the airbrush
art, it wouldn't be a stretch to say she was forty years ahead of her time.
PAUL VOLMER
ValiMyershadthickredhairandcurlyfacialtattoosattheendsofhermouth.Ire-
member goinginto herroomonce, andit was verymuch like anArabian tent with
beadedcurtainsandlushbrocadesonthewalls.Itwasdefinitelyotherworldly,like
a medieval tent.
MARLOWE WEST
Vali was really beautiful but she had this blue moustache tattooed on her upper
lip. ShewasaSalvador Dali type chick, andshehadacrushonMissMercy ofthe
GTOs.
JAMES RASIN
Herbert Huncke had told me, “You've got to meet this woman Vali. She's won-
derful and wild and exotic.” So he took me down there, and she was with Herbie
and Irish Johnnie and it was really fantastic! She was holding court while every-
onewasspreadoutonthefloor.Theyhadweed,andshewouldcommandtheIrish
guys to fix you whatever drink you wanted. She was a really lovely, wild person,
not intimidating, just really sweet and friendly.
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