About Us

Gavin Rowe

Gavin is originally from Richards Bay, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban, where he started his tattoo career as apprentice to Tattoo Artist Sean Venter, owner of Zulu Tattoo Studios.

After about 3 years Gavin and Sean proceeded abroad to Europe, Gavin opening a Zulu Tattoo Studio in Selfridges London, England while Sean opened a Zulu Tattoo Studio in Dublin, Ireland… where he joined up with Sean in Ireland about 2 years later.

Gavin took full advantage and travelled extensively around Europe for 11 years, using this opportunity he had the privilege of learning from and tattooing as a guest artist with the following award winning European & International tattoo artists

Sean Venter – South Africa / Ireland
Mully Hilton – South Africa
Justin Russel – New Zealand
Arnas & Rokas – Always Hungary, Lithuania
Milosh – Prague
Danny Bulman – Ireland
Serjio & Miguel – Italy
Karren Russel – Ireland
Angus Wall – Ireland
Ross ‘All Star’ – Ireland
Bernie Luther – Belgium

After returning to South Africa, Gavin joined up with Mully Hilton at Electric Eye Tattoo Studio, Umhlanga, KZN for about 12years before opening up Teardrop Tattoo Parlour.

Rex Rex

Rex is originally from Johannesburg, where his passion for tattoos was founded through music, good old fashioned old school rock & metal music, drawing and tattooing on his friends from the early years. After school he went into corporate sales, design & marketing, Rex moved down to Durban and started his apprenticeship at Disturbed Ink under various local tattoo artists. Rex took over Disturbed Ink studios and opened Jolly Roger Ink Asylum with tattoo artists

Rob De Klerk,
Dennis Dreagu and
Calvin ‘Steps’ Smorenburg.

After about 3 years they all went their own way and Rex started working under Gavin Rowe as his apprentice and have been working and tattooing with Gavin Rowe for about 8 years now.. 2023. Together they have had Inkspiration, KwaZulu Tattoo Westville, back to Teardrop Tattoo Parlour in Umhlanga and now KwaZulu Tattoo, Sarnia, Pinetown.