Origin Piece IV – Spirit of the 9 Tails

Some canvases are stretched.

Others are worn.

Spirit of the 9 Tails marks a new chapter within the Baldr practice. Rather than painting on leather, this work is created by tattooing directly into the leather of a classic pair of Nike Air Force 1 sneakers using a professional tattoo machine.

Inspired by Japanese mythology and traditional tattoo imagery, the composition portrays a powerful guardian spirit intertwined with flowing floral elements and expressive linework. The title refers to the legendary Nine-Tailed Spirit—an ancient symbol of transformation, intuition and hidden strength. Rather than illustrating the myth literally, the work interprets its essence through contemporary street culture and handcrafted tattoo technique.

Every line, every shadow and every colour has been permanently embedded into the leather, treating the sneaker as skin rather than canvas. The result is neither custom footwear nor wearable fashion, but an original artwork that explores new possibilities for tattooing beyond the human body.

Spirit of the 9 Tails represents an important milestone within Baldr’s artistic practice. It is one of the first works in which tattooing on leather becomes the primary medium, opening a new direction where craftsmanship, mythology and street culture converge.

As with every Origin Piece, this artwork exists only once.