Barcelona Tattoo Expo 2011

Over the 30th of September, and the 1st and 2nd of October 2011, the 14th edition of the Tattoo Expo takes place in Barcelona, at the Farga in Hospitalet de Llobregat. This year, the program is full of new additions and exclusives; “street” zone, competitions, piercings, art, dance, fashion, seminars and much more will be transforming the Barcelona venue over the three days.

Pin-ups, professionals, and anyone who loves tattoos; acclaimed tattoo artists, tourists, young people and older ones are all welcome to the international festival of tattoo. Talking about tattoos is also to talk about music, fashion styles and trends, graffiti, sports, performance, accessories and endless other things. Knowing that countries like the United States, Greece, Tahiti, Brazil, Japan, China, Mexico and Germany will all be represented at the fair with a number of experts, a variety of differing styles and influences – it cannot fail to be a success.

When I think of the word tattoo, I remember the works of Belgium artist Wim Delvoye, the medical laser procedures to remove the ink, the day that a Spanish friend showed me her forearm, with the phrase “Music moves the soul” tattooed in German, and with a Lucida Handwriting style typeface – and I think about the two blue points my step-father got done on his wrist whilst in the army. Nothing to do with the sophisticated stuff people put on their skin every day.

During the Barcelona Tattoo Expo, body art is always like a competition which is ongoing – the visitors are invited to participate in the free categories, or be a part of the jury. You can choose your favourite tattoo for girls and boys, where it is colour or black or white, old school or realist.

The final of the competition is Lady Pin-Up, celebrated on the 1st of October, which awards to the five most “up” finalists. For the queen though, the prize consists of posing in for photographer Selector Marx from Trecelágrimas Productions – an urban communication agency. The photos will be published in the Retro Lovely Magazine, which is devoted to all things Pin-Up.

Each day, three experts in spray painting get their material for carrying out their graffiti works – works which are displayed in the entrance of the Farga throughout the event. The new exclusive of this year is the opening of the “street” zone with clothes stands, surf shops, fingerskate, exhibitions, and breakdance and skate championships.

I met an adventurous French girl whose wrist was tattooed with the work “travel” in Arabic – I have typed “tattooed” into Google and discovered that David Beckham has engraved the name of his first daughter on his left collar bone. I remember very fondly the elephant worn by a friend – the thousands of butterflies painted onto girls´ ankles. For Barcelona Tattoo Expo, prepare yourself for much much more than just butterflies and stars…

 

 

For anybody who´s interested, it costs just 15 euros to get in, and 35 on the weekend. More than the cost of apartments in Barcelona and plate of patatas bravas.

 

Translated by: Poppy