sugar & spikes tattoo feature, halloween edition: “zombie boy” rick genest

The hauntingly alluring “Zombie Boy”, Rick Genest, redefines the face of beauty with his head to toe body art that has turned him into the Living Dead. To Rick, he is simply exhibiting his true self through skin art and it is that honesty that allows him to feel more alive…looking like a zombie. When he speaks he is surprisingly soft spoken, charming, engaging and very real. Just like with any other art form, if you are genuine about your work, people will see your true spirit through your creation. Zombie Boy’s vibrant character truly transcends through his tattooed shades of decay.
Rick grew up in Canada and at age 15 found himself staring at his own mortality. Doctors had discovered a brain tumor and told him that he was not going to live.  Fortunately, he pulled through the surgery but times got sour soon thereafter when Rick became a homeless teen.  His friends on the street called him Zombie because to he was walking around alive when he was supposed to be dead. It was a tough time for Rick but he discovered getting tattoos had given him a way to release his frustrations and express himself.  When he turned 21 years old, he really fleshed out the process of becoming a walking corpse with tattoo artist, Frank Lewis, who is responsible for the majority of the designs on his body. While the idea of embodying a zombie may seem morbid, Rick found the zombie art to be much more of a celebration of all things that did bring joy to his life; horror films and books and walking out alive from a terminally ill situation.

By Mika Kenyah CEO of Sugar & Spikes
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