Min Yu is the tattoo artist turning sound into body art

Most tattoos begin as a sketch. Min Yu’s start with a sound. The tattoo artist transposes audio into tattoos, whether it’s a voicenote recording, an ambient track, or a song you once fell asleep to. Drawing on a background in fine art, classical music and audio implementation, Yu’s work brings a layer of intention and meaning into an industry often criticised for throwaway design choices.

“The process relies heavily on trust, connection and participation,” Yu explains. Though her own music often inspires flash or custom designs, client audio guides much of the work. Once a recording is received, she creates a visual video using an audio frequency analyser and custom code, meaning the sound frequencies directly shape the visuals in real time. Depending on tattoo style and placement, clients select one or several frames that resonate with them. Yu then extracts elements from those frames and collages them together to form the final design.

At the core of Yu’s work is the tension between sound’s ephemerality and tattooing’s permanence. The process allows something fleeting to take on a lasting form. “Sometimes a sound just lodges itself in your memory and becomes part of your personal soundtrack,” she explains. “In tattooing, I try to take advantage of that interchangeable nature, from the moment we hear something to the way we choose to carry it… an ephemeral or mundane moment for one person can take on a life of its own and hold a permanent space for another.”

While conversations around evolving technology often pull from a place of fear, Yu offers a refreshingly open perspective on what the future holds. “Tattooing has always been a tool for storytelling and connection. As we integrate digital elements, it opens up new ways to share those stories,” she says. For the artist, technology is a tool that can expand the possibilities of tattooing, if it’s used thoughtfully and with intention. “I think tattooing will continue to evolve alongside technology, but its essence – being deeply personal and physical – will always remain. The hybrid space between the digital and the tangible is full of possibility.”

We spoke to Yu ahead of her live tattoo performance at last week’s  { guttural },,,{ fleshless }, an exhibition part of Queer East Festival.

How did your journey into tattooing begin?

Min Yu: I tend to dabble in a lot of creative areas: fine art, animation, classical music, sound design, game composition and audio implementation. Like many multidisciplinary artists, I often struggle to find a way to make all my mediums work together in a meaningful way. For most of my life, my interests felt like little creeks pulling in different directions. Tattooing became the glue that brought them all together. Translating audio into tattoos felt like a natural step forward on my journey.

What’s your background in art and sound – did one come first, or have they always been connected for you?

Min Yu: I started lessons in both drawing and classical piano at around the age of four, so it’s hard to say which one came first. My relationship with creativity has always felt like a bit of a push and pull – and honestly, it still does sometimes. It’s definitely been a non-linear process. I felt most free when I let go of the pressure of sticking to one path. It’s not about choosing between them, but about finding common ground and ways to connect.

Can you walk us through the process of how you translate sound into visual tattoo designs?

Min Yu: I use my own music to create flash or custom designs, and for audiovisual customs, I work with audio provided by clients. These pieces tend to be more sentimental – people have brought in everything from meaningful songs to voice notes and old family recordings.

Once I receive the audio, I create a visual video using it, incorporating an audio frequency analyser and custom code so that the sound frequencies directly shape the visuals in real time. Depending on the style and placement of the tattoo, clients choose one or several frames that resonate with them. I then extract elements from those selected frames and weave them together to form the final design.

The exhibition {guttural},,,{fleshless} explores the unrehearsed and participatory – how does your live tattoo performance engage with that concept?

Min Yu: This whole performance felt very unrehearsed, which felt fitting. We had originally planned for the live performance to be an actual tattooing session. But due to other complications, we ended up using synthetic skin placed on top of one of the exhibition organisers, Aki.

We decided on the design and how to position the performance among the exhibited works on the day itself, quite spontaneously. That felt aligned and true to the spirit of tattooing – the process relies heavily on trust, connection and participation. It’s something that can’t really be rehearsed.

How do you envision the future of tattooing in a digital and hybrid art world?

Min Yu:  I think tattooing will continue to evolve alongside technology, but its essence – being deeply personal and physical – will always remain. We’re already seeing how digital tools can enhance the creative process, even bringing motion and interactivity into how we think about visuals. For me, that hybrid space between the digital and the tangible is full of possibility.

In the end, it’s not about the tools themselves, but about how we choose to use them. If we approach this digital shift with intention, curiosity and care, tattooing can remain a meaningful, evolving art form – one that’s just as connected to the body as it is to the future.

Queer East champions boundary-pushing LGBTQ+ voices from East and Southeast Asia through it’s art exhibitions – what does being part of this festival mean to you?

Min Yu: What I find incredibly inspiring is seeing people come together to amplify voices that need to be heard – across different parts of the world. Being part of Queer East feels especially meaningful right now, given the recent changes to trans rights in the UK. It’s a reminder of how important it is to stay aware, intentional and persistent in pushing for visibility and representation. I’m incredibly proud to take part in that movement in any way I can.