Britain’s tattooing record holder, known as the “Ink King,” has once again found himself in the public spotlight, appearing in a recent television interview. The man, whose body is 100% covered in pigment, including his eyeballs, revealed the details of his journey, which cost him a staggering sum of around £40,000. However, such a radical transformation has elicited a mixed reaction, with many viewers, shocked by his appearance, admitting they preferred to switch off the broadcast.
From Matthew Whelan to King of Body Art
The man, who previously went by the name Matthew Whelan, has officially changed his legal name to the much more expressive “King of Ink Land King Body Art The Extreme Ink-ite.” Among friends, however, he prefers the shorter nickname “Body Art.”
During an interview for the show This Morning, he detailed what prompted him to spend 1600 hours of his life on permanent transformation. Body Art confessed that the desire to adorn his body with ink began in childhood, when he was just nine years old. He got his first tattoo at 16 – it was a British bulldog, a tribute to his first dog.
Today, his body is a complete canvas. The transformation includes not only his skin but also extreme modifications like eyeball tattoos.
Guinness World Record Holder and the Anatomy of Risk
In addition to total coverage, Body Art holds a Guinness World Record for a unique achievement: he became the person with the most tattoo artists working on him simultaneously. To be precise, 36 artists participated in this process.
Special attention was paid during the TV show to the procedure of tattooing the eyes. Scleral tattooing (the white part of the eyeball) remains one of the most controversial and dangerous forms of body modification. Body Art, whose eyes are now completely black, explained that it was part of his personal aesthetic choice, inspired by his favorite animals – orangutans, who, he says, also have black eyes.
He shared details of the procedure, which, he said, was performed using a syringe:
- The process involves “piercing the muscle tissue of the eyeball.”
- Body Art emphasized that although the procedure is “very dangerous,” it was not painful, as “the optic nerve is not in the eyeball.”
- Nevertheless, he warned of the high risks, mentioning a female acquaintance from Canada who experienced vision problems after a similar modification.
For this modification to be successful, absolute stillness was required. Body Art described it as: “You have to be a statue. That’s the difference between keeping your sight and losing it.”
Expert Analysis: Tattooing as Total Identity
King of Body Art’s journey is a prime example of how modern tattoo culture has moved beyond simple body adornment to become a total form of body modification and self-identification. Unlike traditional tattoos that can be hidden under clothing, total coverage, especially facial and eyeball tattoos, represents an uncompromising statement to the world.
“Such extreme modifications typically reflect a person’s deep need for complete control over their identity and a desire to completely distance themselves from their ‘previous self’ – in this case, from Matthew Whelan,” explains our expert in tattoo anthropology. “This is not just a hobby; it’s a life project requiring immense financial and time investment, as well as the highest pain threshold and psychological resilience.”
From an industry perspective, King of Body Art and other world record holders like Lucky Diamond Rich are “living manifestos” of tattooing’s possibilities. They push the boundaries of what is permissible and technically possible, but inevitably face societal condemnation. While tattoos have become mainstream, scleral modification remains in the BME (Body Modification Extremes) category, evoking fear and rejection from the conservative public.
It is telling that many viewers with regular tattoos have called Body Art’s case “insane.” One social media commenter wrote, “I have tattoos, but this is just not normal.” Another added, “This is not something to celebrate.” This highlights the fine line between accepted self-expression and what society deems excessive or even pathological.
The Contrast: What He Was Like Before the Ink
Photographs taken before the start of his tattoo journey show a striking contrast. Before his transformation, Matthew Whelan looked like an ordinary Briton, and his eyes were clear. This stark difference is a key element of his public persona, vividly demonstrating the scale of his personal project.
King of Body Art has not only changed his appearance but also his life, embracing the role of a performer and record-holder. His story serves as a reminder that body modification is a powerful tool for creating a new identity, which, however, always goes hand in hand with social challenges. As one viewer, defending his choice, put it: “It’s a personal choice that people without tattoos will never understand. They will judge no matter what.”