Our story begins back in the 1970s in Copenhagen. It was there that Michael Kristensen apprenticed under the legendary tattoo artist Tattoo Jack and received his basic training in a craft that, at the time, was both rare and not yet well-established in Scandinavia.
After completing his apprenticeship, Michael moved to Gothenburg, where he and Oscar Langoni opened Gothenburg’s first and Sweden’s second tattoo studio. Over the next ten years, Michael worked to develop his craft and gained extensive experience at a time when professional tattooing and piercing were still the preserve of a select few.
After about ten years in Gothenburg, Michael took the next step.
In 1985, he opened a studio in Oslo, which became Norway’s first licensed tattoo and piercing studio. This marked the founding of Oslo Bodyart and the beginning of an important chapter in Norwegian tattoo and piercing history.
Piercing became an important part of the business very early on. Together with his wife, Christina Kristensen, Michael developed a service where both tattooing and piercing could be performed under one roof. Michael worked primarily with tattooing, while Christina was put in charge of the piercing business.
What began in a single treatment room would later evolve into today’s Posh Piercing.
Enormous demand and many years of hard work
Demand grew rapidly. The studio moved to larger premises in 1987, and in 1989 moved again to the corner of Munkegata and Oslogata, where the business is still located today. At that time, Oslo Bodyart was the only licensed tattoo and piercing studio in Norway. Customers came from all over the country, and demand became so high that Michael could no longer handle it on his own.
Toward the end of the 1980s, his brother, Bo Kristensen, therefore came to Oslo to help out. The brothers worked side by side for a period of about 10–15 years, during which demand was extremely high. Their work ethic was truly extraordinary. For the first 20 years, they stayed open six days a week without closing a single regular business day. The only exception was when they both traveled to attend their father’s funeral.
Michael and Bo thus set a high standard for work ethic, availability, and dedication. Bo continued to work at the business for many years and has now, at over 70 years old, retired after a long career in tattooing.
Growth in Norway and Sweden
The business also expanded outside of Oslo, with studios and operations in Arvika, Strömstad, and Årjäng, among other places. This fostered a Norwegian-Swedish professional community and made the experience and expertise of Oslo Bodyart available to customers on both sides of the border.
Over the years, Michael Kristensen and Oslo Bodyart were featured in numerous newspapers, interviews, and TV reports, including on NRK. The business became part of the trend that brought tattooing and piercing out of niche subcultures and into mainstream society.
The next generation is taking over
Michael and Christina worked side by side for many years and laid the foundation for both the tattoo and piercing businesses.
Her daughter had already been working at the business and piercing customers since 1997. By the time she took over responsibility for the piercing division in 2010, she therefore had 13 years of hands-on experience. With this solid professional foundation, she continued to develop the business into an independent and specialized professional practice.
In 2017, the studio was named Posh Piercing.
From its original treatment room, the business has now expanded to seven modern treatment rooms that are in active use throughout the week.
Michael’s son has also taken on a key role in the family business. He is responsible for much of the logistics behind the operation, including purchasing and the practical systems that make day-to-day operations possible. And he remains an important part of Posh Piercing.
Their daughter and son have each, in their own way, carried on what Michael and Christina started. One through the technical and conceptual development of the piercing business, and the other through logistics, purchasing, and operations.
More than 40 years of experience
Michael Kristensen passed away in 2026, but the business and the standards he helped establish live on.
From Michael’s studio in 1985, through his collaboration with Christina and Bo, to today’s Posh Piercing, this is the story of a business built on hard work, professional pride, and the dedication of several generations.
Following Michael’s passing in 2026 and Bo’s decision to retire, the tattoo portion of the business was shut down. This marked the end of a significant chapter that had lasted more than 40 years, while the family business’s history and professional legacy live on through Posh Piercing.
Today, Posh Piercing boasts more than 40 years of experience in body art. We are proud of our history, the people who built this business, and the family that continues to carry on the work.
The foundation is the same as it was in 1985: high professional standards, safety, good hygiene practices, and respect for every single person who walks through the door.
