Inking the Future

Shhh… The real catalyst behind tattoo artist Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy’s rise wasn’t the headline-making remark he inked on Rihanna’s finger — he insists it was fashion and “traction,” the former PR buzzword to measure engagement before there were social media metrics.

“When I would tattoo Rihanna, who was becoming and had become a fashion icon, and I had a photo of her new tattoo, I treated it as a fashion moment,” Bang Bang said. “I reached out to fashion outlets to let them have that moment. That moment was delivered through a fashion outlet that set trends.”

Drawing attention isn’t new to Bang Bang, who often collaborates and travels with celebrity clients, including Justin Bieber, Cara Delevingne, Adele, and LeBron James. He has an apparel line, wrote the memoir book “Bang Bang: My Life in Ink,” and is the CEO at HYPRSKN, a nanotechnology company developing advancements in bioscience.

“We have a lot of projects; we’re really always working,” Bang Bang said. “This is a lot of work, because there’s a lot of regulation and regulatory pathways to move through for cosmetics and for skincare and beauty, where those things don’t exist for tattoo ink. We’re a little stuck in the Stone Age pretty much, so things aren’t as defined; you’re kind of self-regulating.”

A consummate philanthropist, Bang Bang recently volunteered his services for this year’s Inked Originals competition that raised more than $2.4 million for The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, which raises money for children fighting cancer. “I’m just happy to help, and I’m grateful,” he said of the opportunity. “My reward system comes from being able to make something useful — make something for somebody that’s really meaningful or has a huge impact in their life. I’m just happy to do that. That’s why I do the job I do. It’s really fun.”

In September, Bang Bang tattooed a knight on the ribcage of the Inked Originals champion, Denver resident Kylie Mason. The knight represents strength and resiliency, qualities she honed during some challenging times in her past.

Yet, Bang Bang is just scratching the surface of what can be achieved in tattooing.

Introducing AERO

In June, Bang Bang Tattoo announced it had a new artist at the studio: Artist Enabled Robotic Operator, or AERO, “a state-of-the-art robotic tattooing device that redefines what’s possible in human skin.” Bang Bang Tattoo partnered with Austin-based Blackdot, an automatic tattooing device company, to bring AERO to life and to the tattoo studio.

Bang Bang Tattoo studio describes the robot on its website: “AERO is a human-supervised tattoo device used as a studio tool. It places precise, high-definition dots at a consistent depth for clean, repeatable results. Each session is led by a trained operator. They will consult on placement and fit, consider how the design sits with your anatomy and any surrounding tattoos, apply the stencil, position you, execute the tattoo, handle cleanup, and provide aftercare instructions.”

At the time of his July interview with Inked Magazine and before AERO was introduced to the public, the tattooing robot had already inked around 50 people, including Bang Bang. For now, AERO only inks custom text tattoos in Bang Bang-curated font options in black and gray. Custom designs are considered on a case-by-case basis.

“This isn’t about replacing artists — it’s about creating new avenues to making perfect tattoos,” Bang Bang said. “Our goal has always been to bridge the gap between tattooing and fashion, and our newest partnership helps us bridge into technology as well.”

The Marvel of Magic Ink

Dr. Carson Bruns, a nanotechnologist and University of Colorado Boulder professor, and a team of scientists have been working with Bang Bang on Magic Ink, the world’s first smart tattooing ink, for years and only recently started shipping the product. “All the credit really goes to (Dr. Bruns). I’ve just played along tattooing, right?” he explained. “(We’re) trying to make this into something we could tattoo that’s fun for tattoo artists and clients alike, but the real technology and the brilliance come from Dr. Bruns.

“We started from the groundwork of, ‘If we could make a tattoo of anything, what would we do?’ Of course, you’d want your tattoo to change,” Bang Bang continued. “Some 38% of people who are tattooed have at least one tattoo they regret, so there’s a large market of people who want to change their tattoo.”

To make ink with new abilities, the team created its own molecules and nanoparticles at specific sizes that can be inked into skin. Magic Ink is a tattooing ink that disappears and reappears when exposed to UV light.

“Essentially, what we did is we made a molecule that works like a door, and when you give it one wavelength of light, the door will open,” Bang Bang explained. “If the door is open, you can see color, and it will stay there. The door will stay open and fold open until you give it a different wavelength of light, and that door will close, and then you won’t see color anymore.” Imagine this: the portrait tattoo resting exquisitely and musing melancholily on your bicep produces tears when the Magic Ink is exposed to UV rays.

“Some people are really excited about the ability for Magic Ink to actually respond to the ultraviolet light that you get from the sun,” Bang Bang said, explaining, “So, if you’re in very dangerous high UV light, your tattoo is going to tell you, which is kind of cool.” The team is exploring more ways Magic Ink can offer feedback about changes in your body, such as alerting diabetics when their blood sugar is low or when COVID is detected in the body.

“(Magic Ink) is a catalyst for everything tattoo ink will become in the future,” Bang Bang said, explaining that the product is so new that the possibilities are endless. “We have a lot of work to do, and it’s cool to be part of a team that does that.”

Impactful Innovations

Bang Bang is fully engaged in his brand and businesses, and all signs say he’s not pumping the brakes anytime soon. “We’re really always working,” he said. “As much as Magic Ink is incredible, HYPRSKN (hyprskn.com), the company that created Magic Ink, works on other projects that we haven’t fully announced yet. There’s some pretty cool skin science going on.”

When he’s not in the studio, lab, or with his daughters, there’s a good chance he’s immersed in a collaboration, whether with celebrities, brands, or charities, like Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Children’s Skin Disease Foundation.

Last year, Bang Bang and Bentley announced their collaboration to bring Magic Ink innovation to the luxury car’s canvas, “A perfect blend of innovation and craftsmanship,” Bentley posted about the partnership on Instagram. The announcement was the first step; the bona fide Bang Bang-designed Bentley is currently in production in the U.K. and scheduled to launch in the U.S. this year.

Bang Bang’s creativity goes beyond the tattoo studio. It broadens into science and technology that could serve practical, sometimes life-saving purposes. To Bang Bang, tattoos are symbols of fashion and self-expression that can be enhanced as tools and safeguards. As tattooing innovations endure, there’s a good shot Bang Bang will be zeroing in.