The idea for Zandaka comes from a collection of passions I’ve had over the years.

Dreams I chased, ideas I tried, some that failed and some that stuck. Tattooing happened to be the one that changed everything.

I grew up skating, listening to hip hop and writing graffiti, and all of those things have stayed with me to this day. That eventually turned into trying to start a clothing company, which I quickly learned is hard to do on your own. But around that same time I finally got my opportunity for a tattoo apprenticeship.

During my apprenticeship and later as a professional artist, I was constantly making merch. Tees, hoodies, air fresheners, stickers, whatever I could think of. I always had the skate shop mentality in the back of my head — a place where people could hang out all day, watch skate videos, listen to music and buy something once in a while.

When I eventually took the shot and built my own tattoo studio, that mentality naturally became part of Zandaka.

Now with the move into a space nearly three times the size, all the things I grew up loving and all the ideas I had over the years are finally able to exist under one roof.

One thing I always felt the tattoo scene was missing is the fact that we’re in Melbourne.

This city already has an incredible skate, graffiti, hip hop and art culture, but there aren’t many spaces properly representing all of it together.

That’s where Zandaka evolved.

Not just into a tattoo studio, but into a Melbourne culture hub.

A place that supports Melbourne-based streetwear and skate brands, local rappers, producers and DJs, the graffiti scene and artists whose work naturally blends all these worlds together.

Zandaka is built for the scene.