A man from Birmingham, England, who legally changed his name to King Of Ink Land King Body Art The Extreme Ink-ite, has shared rare photos revealing how different he looked before his extensive body modifications. Once known as Mathew Whelan, the 45-year-old began transforming his appearance in 2008, investing over £40,000 and 1,600 hours into tattoos and body alterations, making him one of the UK’s most famous tattoo enthusiasts.
Photos from his teenage years show a clean-shaven, tattoo-free young man—almost unrecognizable compared to today. At 16, he proudly displayed his first tattoo, a bulldog, which marked the start of his journey into extreme body art. His modifications now include full-face tattoos, black sclera (eyeball tattooing), nipple removal, and ear reshaping.
However, his striking appearance causes issues with facial recognition technology, particularly on UK adult websites, where systems often mistake his face for a mask, blocking him from services like live webcam chats. He views this as discrimination, emphasizing that his face is his permanent identity.
Socially, he faces constant judgment: on public transport, people avoid sitting next to him, and strangers frequently take photos without permission, sometimes leading to confrontations.
These experiences highlight the challenges of living boldly in a world that struggles with unconventional looks.
Recently, King Of Ink Land announced a pause on further body modifications to focus on paying off his £66,000 mortgage. Though he still views body art as a meaningful lifestyle rather than an addiction, he plans to slow down his tattooing—perhaps getting new ink only every other year—and to remove some implants, including one in his hand, as part of a more financially responsible chapter in his life.
