Adal: pronounced “ah-dell,” a common nickname of “Adalberto.” It’s the same way singer-songwriter Adele says her name, which is perhaps why you were tempted to write “ele” the first time you sang Adal’s praises in that letter to your friend about your new tattoo.

(We may not be belting ballads on the radio, but we admire Adele and would be thrilled to do as much for the art world as she has).

Adal has faced frequent misunderstanding throughout his life as the result of the unconventional spelling of his name. Hardly the man to bow to adversity, he has powered through the confusion, harnessing it in the development of his distinctive artistic style. Language can be a tricky game to play: that’s why we stick to visuals. If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many is a tattoo worth?