Ricardo Rozas: Built By Us, Built For Us

Queerness can give you the strength to take risks building your own path – Berlin-based tattoo artist Ricardo Rozas was key to Container Love’s latest project, the music video for The Irrepressibles’ song, “Ecstasy Homosexuality”. Now part of our Beyond Lust special, we asked Ricardo to tell us about the balancing act of experiencing ecstasy, some of his dearest childhood memories of the Chilean shoreline, and why Berlin remains the place to be for people on the quest for finding themselves.

Describe a perfect summer day that would make you feel pure ecstasy!

As you may not know yet, I am from Santiago de Chile, I was born between the peaks of the Andes and the Pacific Ocean. But the northern coast of Chile has a special place in my heart. My grandparents have a small cabin on a beach called “La Ballena” where I went every summer since I can remember. I used to go from rock to rock with my brother looking for shells to decorate the house, fishing and jumping into the cold sea when the sun began to burn our backs. This same place is where I experienced my first sexual interactions, between the bonfires on the shores of the beach drinking wine with people I called friends until summer ends. So this must be why when I think of a perfect summer day, I imagine myself on the beach, in a wooden cabin with friends, cooking seafood over an open fire and drinking a nice glass of wine.

How do you personally define and experience ecstasy in your life?

For me, many things can be or cause ecstasy, a cold shower after a hot sauna, a soft or harsh touch, a distant look from the boy you liked at school, or a threatening and more animalistic one from the boy you shouldn’t like. As we know, humans have always tried to prolong this feeling in different ways, by spirituality like meditation or playing and teasing around with the chemistry of our bodies. Ecstasy can be as pleasurable as it is dangerous, especially for people like me who have ADHD. The complex relationship we have with dopamine, can make this sensation quite addictive, so I think it is important to reach a healthy balance, where we can enjoy it but not romanticize it.

Our Berlin-liberated queer life is both celebrated and judged. Which part of your Berlin life do you think the world would benefit from engaging with more? Could you share a personal story? 

I would say Berlin is the city where people come to lose inhibitions, to experience unprejudiced sex, to have the party of their lives. Berlin is the city where people come to experience ecstasy. The freedom that Berlin offers is the main reason why I live here. I think it is easier to create aware communities because of this freedom, which is essential for me to have a balanced life. For me, the city’s openness towards sex and the availability of safe spaces to explore my sexuality profoundly transformed my relationship with sex. I learned to appreciate and enjoy every body, allowing myself to feel more and think less, fostering a deeper sensory connection. I established boundaries and, most importantly, came to understand that sex is something that flows. It’s essential to remain open to new experiences, embracing them as long as they align with my desires and pleasure.

What aspects of queer culture in Berlin do you find most empowering, and why?

I think there is no safer place to be queer than Berlin, and despite the fact that homophobia and transphobia still exist in the streets, something happens here that does not happen anywhere else and is that the straight have to adapt to our rules in our spaces if they want to see the real Berlin, because it was built by and for us. So they better know our codes, babe, or “Heute Leider Nicht”.

How has your journey in the queer community shaped who you are today?

Like every characteristic that makes us different from the rest, being queer in my adolescence always brought me insecurity, but it was not until I learned to accept and love this part of me, that it became one of the most powerful tools that I was lucky enough to have in my life. Queerness for me was the key that opened my doors to freedom, the freedom to choose and build the life that I wanted to live in every aspect, spiritually, professionally, and in my relationships, without restriction from following a path already drawn by a society that strives to maintain the status quo. Queerness gave me the strength to take risks and create situations if they don’t come to me, because we know well, as queers, that we must fight for what we want.

How does your queer identity influence your creative process? 

As I mentioned before, the freedom that being queer brought me is one of my greatest tools that enhances my art and expression without limits, not being afraid to try new disciplines, materials, strokes, colors, etc. But above all, what inspires me most is the complicity that can be created so naturally with other people in the community and with this the opportunity to see the world with new glasses, with which they experience the world, this is what allows me to find beauty everywhere and bring it to whatever I’m working on.

Who is your personal queer icon and inspiration, and why? 

It’s hard to just name one; I have always been a big fan of Keith Haring, I love his fluid and colorful art, I have always liked street art and when it is political it is even more inspiring. Haring was an activist who promoted safe sex to prevent HIV in one of the most devastating and stigmatized public health epidemics in modern history and it is because of people like him who sadly died in the fight that we now can experience the freedom to discover sex safely. On the other hand, Grace Jones has always been aesthetically one of my favorite references, challenging gender roles for years with an extravagant and refined style. And of course, Madonna, who literally invented the gays, giving us not just the most iconic beats to dance but also doing a lot for our community. 

What’s a song, aside from Ecstasy Homosexuality, of course, that always gets you feeling ecstatic and ready to dance? 

“Happy Ending” by Kelela is undeniably a song that fills me with positivity every time I listen to it. Its ethereal softness gives the song an intimate and sensual vibe that feels both sexy and playful. The smooth, flowing melodies combined with Kelela’s vocals create a cozy atmosphere that invites you to let it go and immerse yourself in whatever you are doing. Also lyrically, the track explores themes of connection and desire, adding depth to its already captivating sound. So it’s an absolute pleasure for all your senses!

Are there any upcoming projects you’re excited about? Could you tell us more? 

Berlin is losing many spaces that gave us not only security but also spaces that served as a stage and showcase for queer art. Little by little, sadly, the city is choosing business development over social development. At the same time, the tattoo world is pretty much dominated by heterosexual men, at least in terms of physical spaces, which are generally unwelcoming and even intimidating. These are some reasons why, with my partner in crime Ambientgabba from my current tattoo collective are working to create a safe space for queer tattoo artists and art lovers, a studio that provides the care, respect, and understanding that is needed when one works with other bodies and also as a political statement, providing a safe and supportive space for emerging artists, fueled by the belief that art has the power to provoke change, spark dialogue, and encourage understanding across diverse communities.

Photography Anil Ayhan, Talent Ricardo Rozas