Piece of Mind

What’s on your mind? That’s what Okan Uckun would like to know. And then, he’d like to use it to create your next tattoo design — out of your own brainwaves, to be specific. In Uckun’s practice, achieving the final “design” is layered, or perhaps “structured” is a more fitting term. The New York-based artist has evolved from his studies in architecture, where his research paper exploring the underground aspects of graffiti and tattoos eventually turned into a full-time undertaking of the latter.

“What drew me to tattooing wasn’t a specific style, but the primitive nature of the act itself — using a needle and ink to create something on a human body,” explains Uckun, who initially focused on the neo-traditional style and has now been tattooing for over 16 years. “The idea that something I created would live, travel, grow, and eventually die with someone excited me.”

His core architectural learnings have held strong with his creative evolution, informing his current aesthetic. “My designs are built upon the principles of balance and composition — values that are also essential in architecture,” he states. “This has evolved into the minimalist tattoos I’m now known for.”

Next up for the minimalist tattoo pioneer is an innovative new way to merge tech and tattoos. “We’re not afraid to be experimental or to integrate technology into our core concept, like with the brainwave project,” he says of Monolith, the contemporary tattoo studio he co-founded alongside tattoo artist Oscar Akermo. “We aim to be artists who reflect the spirit and truth of their time through design, approach, and technique — and to show others how far this craft can truly go.”

A Mindful Approach

Uckun is testing creative bounds to discover how far things could go with the aforementioned brainwave project, which translates human brainwaves into tattoo designs, or as he describes it, “Turning unseen emotions and neural activity into permanent visual expression.” Using EEG technology, the project analyzes the electrical frequencies in a person’s brain, mapping out their emotions and cognitive responses, and then turning those patterns into one-of-a-kind tattoo designs.

How does an artist with a background in architecture and 10-plus years in tattoo design incorporate neurology in the mix? According to Uckun, reading the brainwaves is actually the “easy part.” He clarifies that many EEG models are available today that are already in use for neuroscience and related fields, and do not require any special permission to use. “But the software that transforms the data into art — that part, including the generative code triggered by brainwaves — was developed by me and a few friends I worked with,” Uckun explains. “That’s really where the project begins. The challenge is turning that data into a meaningful experience and a design.”

Catching the Wave(s)

Uckun has worked to refine his brainwave artwork, stating that the biggest challenge is ensuring the designs still feel true to his work. “That’s why each session starts with the client selecting a visual library that aligns with my aesthetic,” he says. This step in the process then allows the generative code to build on top of the chosen visual, “creating unique but stylistically consistent” designs. “I never forget — these are permanent tattoos, so the outcome has to be wearable and meaningful.”

Uckun typically takes clients through about three rounds of brainwave readings, in which the software analyzes their brain data in real time, saving visual outputs at moments of “peak emotional intensity,” according to the tattoo artist. “In one recent case, there were 34 design outputs. The collector chose their favorite, and we tattooed it.”

Moving forward, Uckun wants to heighten the emotions and respective outputs during the process by incorporating more specific scenarios: exercising, kissing, and even making love are all experiences he has experimented with thus far. “The differences in the data are fascinating,” he says. “A lot of people who want a tattoo through this process tend to focus on music-related experiences, but I don’t want to keep repeating the same narrative. That’s why I’m developing different experience scripts I can offer during consultations.”

Uckun explains, “The device I use doesn’t just capture brainwaves — it also tracks movement and heart rate, so dancing or physical activity becomes part of the design data. I use these variables to trigger different sections of the final visual outcome, making each design even more unique.”

Tech That

Uckun began tattooing the results from the brainwave series only within the past year, but he has been developing the passion project for more than seven years. The initial idea was driven by a tough transitional time for the tattoo artist, who moved to New York City in 2017, knowing little English and struggling to communicate.

“Speaking Turkish — its rhythm and expression — was a huge part of my personality,” Uckun explains. “That period was honestly one of the strangest and most traumatic phases of my life. Not being able to understand the people around me was exhausting. That’s when I began to explore languages and communication as a concept. I wondered: what if we could understand people without speaking? What if we could read minds?”

This existential question is how Uckun says he “stumbled” upon EEG devices, which, back then, were “large and not exactly plug-and-play.” With the help of one of his collectors, who happened to be studying neuroscience, he gained a deeper understanding of how the EEG worked and how to read the data. “That’s how I began experimenting with turning brainwave data into design,” he recalls, sharing that early in the process, the data was so dense and unfiltered that it caused his computer to crash several times.

“I’ve always had one foot in art and one in technology, so I was familiar with different software and production methods,” Uckun explains. “I discovered the world of generative art, where seed codes drive visual creations. I started researching how I could use brainwave data as seed code.” As his experience grew, he was able to collect more “refined, focused data.” And the rest is history.

A New Frame of Mind

Uckun has some thoughts about the future of his work. With his brainwave process now finalized, he expects to launch the project and supporting details live soon on both okanuckun.com and monolithstudio.com. “As a tattoo artist, I’ve actually been working with data visualization for years, even if I rarely share that on social media,” he says. “With this project, I believe I’ve been able to better communicate my creative vision to a wider audience.”

Uckun is also steadily taking on clients who are intrigued by the project. With one such subject, he’s seemingly hit the jackpot for his creative brainchild. “They lost their mother three years ago. She passed away just hours before they got home, and they later discovered a voice message she had sent them minutes before she died,” he shares.

“They’ve never listened to it. They don’t know what she said, or if it’s just silence — but they’re afraid to find out,” Uckun adds. “They asked if they could listen to it for the first time during the tattoo session. This is exactly the kind of emotionally powerful scenario I dreamed of when I started this project, and I can’t wait to experience it with them.”