Etienne Memon's ORDER TATTOO JAM returns

Mark your calendars! April 3-4-5 will be the return of Order Tattoo Jam, a tattoo convention, or actually a temporary universe, built by people who don’t really believe in half-measures (there are 200+ tattoo artists, an art market, and enough food, music, and general stimulation to make the idea of “just popping by” feel wildly unrealistic). The music promises to move through hip hop, rock, electro, punk, tropical heat, and everything in between, and at night, things spill from De Kromhouthal into Skatecafé — where it all began — and keep up the party until closing time. We spoke to Etienne, who’s behind the whole thing, as the next edition looms. We talk about building worlds, abandoning Instagram monogamy, tattoo daycare (important), and how to create something that lives on both skin and in memory — even as it inevitably changes.

Hey Etienne! How are you doing?
I’m very good, thank you!

The next Order Tattoo Jam is just around the corner. How do you feel?
Very nervous but very excited. I’ve been working around the clock to make this the most special one so far. And it’s definitely going that direction. So most of all, I’m just hyped about it.

What are you carrying over from the 2025 version to this year’s? And is there anything you learnt to leave behind?
The last one was in 2024. You always learn a lot from the year before. The first thing is that you can never really expect things to be the same every year you do it. You always have to keep evolving in communication, ideas, vibe, etc. One thing I learned from last year is that you just can’t rely on Instagram only anymore. You have to be on all sorts of platforms to get people’s attention.

Can you tell us more about the beginnings of Order Tattoo Jam – how did the organisation of the event first come about?
The Tattoo Jam came from something I was missing in the modern tattoo convention culture. I wanted to create a new form where tattoo, music, and art come together on an equal level. The goal was an exclusive but still very accessible event where everyone feels welcome and free — a place without barriers or strict rules. I was already organising a lot of parties with ORDER, and I had many friends locally and internationally who also loved a good party. Bringing those worlds together slowly turned it into a music and tattoo festival.

What do you believe gives tattoos their creative strength compared to other art forms?
They’re on your body forever. It doesn’t go away. They age like fine wine, haha. They’re a way of expression and identity, like fashion and permanent jewellery. Sometimes simply for cool aesthetics, sometimes to remember something close to you. An art form with so much history — from tribes and ancient times to the insane amount of styles that exist now, way too many to even count. Truly connects people.

We’ve also seen various tattoo trends come and go, especially in the last decade, with the high visibility of tattoo artists on Instagram. What do you think makes a tattoo truly timeless?
Really getting a tattoo that is built to last. That means you take into consideration how you apply the tattoo, what location on the body works for it, the size, and the technique, especially strong line work. It will always fade and age, and I actually love that too. But the essence of the tattoo has to be strong for me. That said, tattooing has become so wide and diverse style-wise that it’s also up to everyone to decide for themselves what timeless means. Hard to judge, haha.

Can you walk us through the creative process of producing the temporary world of Order Tattoo Jam?
I’m always thinking about what I would personally love to see first. If that’s a Ferris wheel, crazy decor, more live music, a more diverse market, or all the things that have been added over the last years. It always starts with a genuine interest in adding something that I personally love. Sometimes it’s not an obvious match with the other things there, but it always ends up working. Connecting different worlds and people in one space is definitely the most fun part.

How do you usually curate your line-up? Who are some of the most exciting names you brought to Amsterdam this year?
I have so many different lists of people I would love to work with one day — from tattooers to musicians to all kinds of other things. Then I start messaging them and basically stalking them a little until they hopefully join. This year, the market is huge. From Athenaeum Nieuwscentrum to SMIB to No Limits! Art Castle, to all my friends from New York, like Greenpoint Tattoo Company, and people coming from Australia, Japan, and the US. We also have a tattoo daycare hosted by Sexyland, so you can bring your kids during the day, and they can get stick-on tattoos. That’s going to be a lot of fun.

Thats so cute. Teach em young! Tattoos have brought me a lot of unexpected but dear friendships. Can you tell us a story of your most surprising but meaningful relationship that began through tattooing?
Oh damn, so many! I’ve been tattooing since I was 19, so that’s 19 years now. Tattooing has basically been part of my whole adult life. I’ve always tried to walk my own path with it. Respecting the old-school way of tattooing, but also pushing a bit against the big egos and toughness that used to surround it. One friendship that means a lot to me now is with Henk Schiffmacher. He’s such a founding figure in tattooing, and if you had asked me 15 years ago, I would never have thought we would get along so well or share so many interests.

Following on the topic of friendships, Order is rooted in a strong sense of community — what does this look like in practice for you?
It comes pretty naturally, because I’m also very involved in everything we do with ORDER. Connecting with people and meeting new ones is honestly the most fun part of it all.

Music is obviously a big part of Order Tattoo Jam, with the sonic essence of the day paving the night at Skatecafe. If you had to pick one artist, from the 2026 lineup or not, who would you want to perform live every time you tattooed?
Poehhh… hard one. But Egyptian Lover would be sick.

Where do you see Order in the next five years?
I hope it’s still there, and that the tattoo part stays around the same size — 200 artists is more than enough. But it would be great if the crowd became even more diverse. I would also love for the market to grow bigger and more diverse, and to have more local and international live music icons performing.

If someone came up to you – fully tattoo-less – and told you they’ve been hesitating for so long about finally getting one. Would you have any piece of advice to give?
Get it done at ORDER. You won’t regret it.