Together takes us places not accessible alone.

This summer I set aside a week to paint with my friend and fellow tattooer Gordo. We began without a fixed plan, the intention to see what would happen when our two styles came together away from the pressure of skin. At first the process was about finding balance, giving and taking, making space for each other’s ideas. But as the days passed something deeper started to happen. The more we painted, the more our approaches began to merge, and a new visual language started to emerge.

By the end of the week we were creating work that neither of us could have produced alone. It felt like one plus one equaled three. Each brushstroke carried the influence of both of us and the results became more than the sum of their parts. By walking the path together we reached a destination not accessible alone.

That experience reminded me of one of the cornerstones of Kosmos. Collaboration is at the heart of what we do. Kosmos itself exists because of the partnership between me and Danny. Bringing together two different worlds, one rooted in art and the other in athletics. On the surface they may seem far apart, but when they meet something new is born.

Tattooing has taught me that the process is as important as the outcome. Training has taught both Danny and myself that discipline and repetition open the door to mastery. Together we have built Kosmos on those lessons. We believe that when different perspectives are brought together with honesty and intention, the result is always stronger.

The paintings with Gordo are a reflection of this same truth. Collaboration requires trust and patience but it rewards you with outcomes you could never arrive at on your own. No world champion rises without the people around them. Coaches, training partners and teammates all play their role in shaping greatness. It is in that space between two individuals that something greater is created.

At Kosmos we will continue to hold onto this belief. Art and athletics, creativity and discipline, intention and execution. Collaboration is where they meet and where the real work begins. And on that note we’ll be releasing our first collection with a guest artist in the next few weeks.

Thanks for reading, H.