By Rebecca Chitolie
THIS MALE “most tattooed” nurse who is 95-percent covered claims his ink “helps people relate to him” in his job.
Nurse Kev Matthews (45) originally from Rugby, Warwickshire and now living in the Netherlands got his first tribal-style Polynesian tattoo in 2005 on his left leg on his 27th birthday after being inspired by the Mayan-style tattoos featured by actors in Mel Gibson 2006 film, Apocalypto.
Kev has had his fingers, eyes, sternum and legs tattooed, as well as his entire head and face. Kev’s body modifications include tongue bifurcation, subdermal horn implants in his head, 10mm stretched septum, 50mm ear lobes, 43mm lip plate and philtrum currently at 20mm, he has also had three subdermal implants on each arm, his nostrils now stretched to 20mm, plus several genital modifications.
In the Netherlands Kev trained as a nurse and he claims his tattoos have not affected his job and he has not received negativity from his colleagues. In fact, he insists that his ink has been a benefit as it has allowed him to relate to people he works with.
“My transformation hasn’t affected me badly in any way. In fact, I feel enriched, happier”, said Kev.
“It hasn’t affected my job. I accept that not everyone would employ me, I guess I’m lucky.
“Tattoos help me with my job as I can quickly relate to people, as in conversation they see through the outside and see who I am as a person and accept me.
“People who were ill during the corona period, I’ve been able to nurse them and it’s not part of the question, never a problem.
“I believe my message is working, I want to teach the world that it’s ok to be yourself no matter where you come from, your background, your gender etc as long as you’re a good person. We need to talk more about these things.”
Kev explained how his journey started during his younger years after high school.
“I went to art school and trained to be a graphic designer,” he said.
“I was always interested in other cultures and travelling the world. I just never had much confidence to put it all into practice.
“It really all started after I started travelling in 2001 and seeing Mel Gibson’s film Apocalypto (2006) and my world became a very creative place to be.
“The combination of ancient art and cultures combined with my training and knowledge about the human body I started on my body modification journey.
“I’ve since spent time with Buddhist monks in Nepal, travelled through northern India, experienced many northern Indian provinces, of course Varanasi & the holy River Ganges.
“I also spent time on many Indonesian Islands and really engaged with modern day tribes, Hinduism, Bali. I was also influenced by Ancient Egypt, and many places I felt at home who had the Marquesan style of tattooing.
“In the last two years I had my head and face completely covered, and it was very much a test of how much pain I could handle.
“So, I started having small tattoos on my face, to test what the pain felt like and prove to myself that I could handle it and within nine months my full face and head were covered.”
Kev explained his most painful tattoos and modifications were on his fingers, sternum and my legs.
“The most painful modification was definitely tongue bifurcation,” he said.
“It was not so much the procedure but the aftermath during the first ten days of recovery which was very painful.
“There was a time the last few years that I was almost every month getting tattooed, but I had to stop doing it so frequently as my body was telling me to slow down.
“My back piece was completed in 2018.”
Kev explained that he has received overall positive responses from people who see his tattoos.
“My family are used to it; they have known me to do things for years and they are very accepting. I’m lucky”, said Kev.
“Feedback is very positive of course there are folk who judge and don’t like it but most folk love what I have done. People say I’m nice, caring, and very friendly. People are generally interested.
“I’ve received positive comments such as describing me as very striking, but nothing hurtful.
“Generally, people are getting more interested in tattoos and body modifications. There are a lot more people wanting to do these things.
“Trends are growing rapidly with more and more body modification artists as well as folk getting modifications done.”
ENDS
