Ok, this isn't my usual monolithic tattoo news review as I've been on the convention circuit for the past two weeks, but I wanted to share some things I found when I opened my eyes and Inbox this morn.
First, before I even reached for my first cup, The NY Times greeted me with the image above (by
Ashley Gilbertson) of the coffee knux tattoo in its article on the best cafes in NYC. And it reminded me of an old fave on KnuckleTattoos.com of such career killers wrapped around a cup of coffee. And then it made me long once more to tattoo my hands. And then I remembered that one day I may need to be employable once more. And then I also remembered that the Times article had nothing to do with tattoos, so I drank some coffee and moved on.
Then, my Inbox dinged with a real tattoo story: Daily Candy's front page profile today on the fabulous Amanda Wachob. And while the word "tats" and phrase "upgrade your tramp stamp" made coffee shoot out my nostrils in frustration, it is nice to see a great artist get some sweet props from the masses. We featured Amanda here last October and noted her experimental tattoo projects that got us hyped (sans caffeine). Here's a sample of Amanda's work below.
And finally, just before I was about to click publish on this post, I got a Facebook reminder that, tomorrow, Amelia Klem Osterud will discuss her book The Tattooed Lady: A History at Word bookstore in Brooklyn from 7:30-9PM. We featured the book here in November and I've devoured my copy since. As an added bonus, tattoo artists Bad News Becca and Emma of Porcupine Tattoo will be discussing their work.
So, that's the run down of tattoo goodness I found all before noon. A good omen for the day. [The mega-round up will be up soon. I hope.]
Like David Hasselfhoff and unpasteurized cheese,
tattoos are big in Germany, and this weekend, I got a large dose of all (a
little less Hoff than cheddar but one in the
same). The 18th Annual Frankfurt Tattoo Convention -- yes, the
convention was older than some of the attendees -- kicked off this past
Friday in its usual spot: The Messe Frankfurt, a massive
modern expo hall in the center of this commercial city.
It wasn't my first Frankfurt tattoo foray. It was about seven or eight years ago when I last attended and, other than a shorter artist list and more vendors, much hadn't changed. There are certain elements that give this gathering its own specialness, which I will list for you but first...
1. Lots of Germans. They may not understand all my jokes and refer to me as a "small hyper person," but there was a lot o' love. Most at the Frankfurt show were serious collectors with large intricate work that harmonized really beautifully with their bods. Typical German craftsmanship.
2. A dearth of hipsters. Some say hipsters are as likely to be seen at a tattoo con as in Target, but I've seen enough getting their asses tattooed with Hello Kitty (one is enough!), or the ubiquitous ironic tattoo that keeps booths busy, to say otherwise. Maybe it's an American thing. Because as I walked through the crowded aisles of the convention hall, I looked around in wonder and thought to myself: "Wow. I haven't seen one dude who would ask to borrow his girlfriend's skinny jeans and Spice Girls tee." [Well, maybe except for this dude.] I took a deep breathe of that testosterone and it smelled good.
3. Germany still holds the record for most tribal and blackwork tattoos per capita. And considering that I'm covered in blackwork [and even did a book on it, ahem], I was giddy being among my tribe. It was in serious contrast being at the Detroit convention the previous weekend where barely any people entered the tribal competition. In Frankfurt, there even was a portion of the hall sectioned off -- complete with Tiki hut -- where traditional tattooists, including Vatea, Roonui, and the Suluape family, worked by hand and machine. That said, I did notice that European artists were working in way more black and gray as well as fantasy & comic-styled tattoos.
4. Convention food sucks all over the world and Frankfurt was no exception. I'm not asking for haute cuisine, just something I can digest. And oh, my heart goes out to convention-going vegans. Best bet: always pack a lunch.
5. Finally, the very best part of Frankfurt, and any show, is seeing friends whom I only run into a few times a year in different cities, in different countries. It always makes me feel that there still is a "tattoo community." Shout-outs to Volle, who tattooed his Maori inspired art non-stop but still had time to look up and crack jokes; Elson Yeo of Singapore, who did a rockin horror sleeve over extensive scars, working the keloids perfectly into the design; and Clarabella of Brazil, my first Euro-convention homegirl who has been accessorizing me for over a decade.
So, I landed back into Brooklyn just a couple of hours ago and will now settle into my jet lag. I'm taking a convention break until the NYC one in May so if you have photos and stories of those you're heading to, send 'em my way.
The 15th Annual Detroit Motor City Tattoo Expo has come to a close and while everyone else is at the after-party now, I'm staying in to break down the weekend for ya -- beyond my incessant Tweets -- because (a) I'm a nerd, (b) no really, I'm pretty socially inept, and (c) I'm simply freakin exhausted from all the parties that have been running till dawn since Thursday.
But, as I learned from the knuckles of Adam Callen of BodyMod.org, ya only live once and the past four days have been worth every bag under my eye. Which is why I stayed away from the cameras and just took my own less-than-stellar shots.
* On Thursday, I arrived at the Marriott Renaissance Center -- a labyrinth of circular walkways that lead to GM cars, a suspended Starbucks and conference rooms that would be filled during the weekend with tattooists as well as pharmacists. [And during the course of this weekend, it was clear who were the drug dealers and who weren't.]
* The hotel lobby bar began to brim with the tattooed; lots of hugs, back-slaps and complicated handshakes were shared between friends who largely see each other on the convention circus circuit. Drinks were poured and the next thing I know, I'm whisked away to a casino in Greek Town (my people!) and taught how to play craps. This was my first lesson of the weekend. The second was not to drink tequila with Mexican tattoo artists. Let this be a cautionary tale for you as well.
* The snow fell hard on Friday, so attendance started slow but there was a steady stream of people. Most booths were buzzin as the artist line-up was stellar. What I particularly loved was the diversity of artists from different tattoo families. [I stole "tattoo families" from Sean Herman who used it to describe tattooers who inspire each other in a certain style.]
* In fact, the highlight of Saturday for me was seeing one of Kristel's pimped out Hello Kitty's on some guy's butt (entitled "Candy Ass"). Check it on her site here. And below is the (kinda NSFW) video of that special moment of adornment.
* It's funny how I completely adore the ass tattoo but freaked out over the MANY facial and neck tattoos on really young collectors -- kids that didn't even have sleeves but went straight for the career killers. *sigh*
* And in that "you kids get off my lawn moment," Adam from BodyMod (remember him from when I started this increasingly long post?) put me in front of his video camera so I could whine about how I get regular emails from these kids asking me to sue companies that won't hire them. To which I always say, Boo Hoo. [That vid should be up soon.]
* The show wound down around 7pm and most artists went out to dinn. I didn't join because I feared the post-dinner fest. And I'm all fested out.
Plus I wanted to share my weekend with y'all because, you know, I love you.
So, I head back to Brooklyn this Monday morn, rest up for a few days and then I'm off to Germany for the Frankfurt Tattoo Convention next weekend. My goal is to have photos and a review for that show as well ... and I have high hopes for more butt tattoos!
Just go to downtown Detroit's Marriott at the Renaissance Center for the 15th Annual mega Motor City Tattoo Expo, which begins tomorrow and rocks through the weekend. Will have my usual bad photos and redux at the end, but in the meantime, check my tweets (yeah, I'm embarrassed saying it too). Here's the latest feed below. To read it all, go to my Twitter account.
* Photos & redux of the Detroit Tattoo Expo are up. And at 3am, so am I. http://bit.ly/cWKumU
* @KristelOreto That Hello Kitty butt tattoo is Fantastic! And your client had a great sense of humor modeling it to tattoo paparazzi
* The Detroit Tattoo Expo has come to a close. You don't have to go home but you can't stay here. [Will join the masses at the bar soon.]
* Abey & Jose Lopez of Lowrider tattoo have swept almost every black & gray award all weekend. Their work is like butter, sooo smoooth
* Tattoo expos aren't just for tattoos: you can pick up jewelry, prints, tees and of course rubber ducky sex toys. http://yfrog.com/3l9o2dj
* Nice! RT @DanHenk Last piece I completed yesterday-customer's girlfriend with a sort of "day of the dead" mask http://twitpic.com/15vc1n
* Great portrait done at the Detroit Tattoo convention RT@AlissaBrunelli All done! Thanks again nikko! http://twitpic.com/15rovx
* Tattoo competition winners being announced. It's like American Idol for those with high pain threshholds. Amazing work without crazy Paula.
* Ok, my last tweet was too much "you-kids-get-off-my-lawn." I'm just jealous of their Gwen Stefani and Lil Wayne portraits.
* @sambot your hand tattoos are the cause of our nation's financial collapse!
* 20-yr-olds here covered in work (necks&knux) & at 37 i'm worrying about doing my hands & employability. I'll still wait till I'm an adult.
* The "tribal" category used to be the redheaded stepchild (ahem) of the tattoo competition world but it's getting better with more diversity.
* Tattoo mag photogs are shooting girls with large breasts & complaining about bra marks in the photos. Can't roll my eyes enuf.
* @NikkoHurtado is doing his signature portrait perfection on @AlissaBrunelli (a redhead now. Yeah!) Can't wait to see the result.
* Nothing sadder than poor facial work. And there's lots of it at this convention. [Of course there are some wonderful exceptions but rare.]
* Check tattooists working the Detroit Tattoo Expo: @NikkoHurtado @biggusink @DurbMorrison @DivisionTattoo and @KristelOreto.
* Uploaded just a few Detroit tattoo convention pics from Day 1. More to come: http://www.flickr.com/photos/needled/sets/72157623392321195/
* I do so love conventions where you can go up to tattooed strangers, ask them to take down their pants, and they do so without question.
* Detroit convention filling up despite snow. Booths buzzing with amazing work -- from Robert Hernandez B&G to Dan Plumley color portraits.
* Oh and these great legends of tattoo like Brian Everett & Jack Rudy are so open & friendly. No rock star attitude, even tho I'm star struck.
* Just gave Jack Rudy a copy of my Black Tattoo Art book and he's down to be in my Black & Grey book. Woohoo!
* "Conventions are places where you can get the worst work from the best artists." After last night's 3am pre-party, well...we'll have to see.
* Hangin with the West Coast boys and realizing how uncool I am when they see I have only one knuckle tattooed.
This past weekend, rock stars of the tattoo and music variety, worked the Musink Festival in Costa Mesa, Ca. drawing massive crowds -- and press. Legends like the Buzzcocks, The Cult and Lemmy shared top billing with tattoo's own long time stars like Jack Rudy & The GTC crew, Bill and Juni's Diamond Club, Clay Decker, Greg James, Mark Mahoney, among many others.
Outside of the media's loving embrace of the show, it has been criticized for placing the musicians before the tattooists and creating a more difficult atmosphere to tattoo in. Some artists have even blogged that they would not attend any more conventions that were not put on by tattooists themselves. But other artists working this year's show touted the event live on Twitter. Without attending myself, I'll leave it there and just say ... Lemmy!!!
Artist Wafaa Bilal, an Iraqi-American whose brother was killed by a missile at a checkpoint during "Operation Iraqi Freedom," is using tattoos in his latest performance art piece entitled "... And Counting."
Bilal will have his back tattooed with one dot for each Iraqi and American casualty. The dots will be placed on a borderless map of Iraq -- already tattooed with the names of cities -- in close proximity to where the those men and women were killed. See this video of that initial tattooing. [Kyle McDonald designed the map visualization above left.]
The dots will be tattooed in NY's Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts over a 24-hour period, from 8pm March 8th to 8pm March 9th. The press release offers more on the show:
"Bilal feels the pain of both American and Iraqi families who've lost
loved ones in the war, but the deaths of Iraqis like his brother are
largely invisible to the American public. [...] The 5,000 dead American soldiers are represented by red dots
(permanent visible ink), and the 100,000 Iraqi casualties are
represented by dots of green UV ink, seemingly invisible unless under
black light. During the performance people from all walks of life read
off the names of the dead.
Also, Bilal is asking each visitor to donate $1 which will go to the
group Rally for Iraq, to fund scholarships for Americans and Iraqis who
lost parents in the war. Based on official numbers of casualties, one
dollar for each would mean $105,000 in scholarship money."
The entire performance will be streamed online. For detailed information, visit Wafaabilal.com.
There have been a number of great stories in the news about tattoo studios raising money for Haiti relief efforts, and Zulu Tattoo's benefit at Boardner's in LA was one such success, bringing in over $1,500 for National Nurses United.
I just came across LA Weekly's wonderful slideshow of images, like the one above taken by Curious Josh Photography, and they include gorgeous shots of tattooed performers, musicians, and beautiful belly dancers (my latest practice and obsession). Enjoy the eye-candy for a cause.
Valentine's Day is just a few days around the corner and it is shaping up to a feel more like a Friday the 13th at tattoo studios in the New York City area.
At Hand of Glory Tattoo in Park Slope, Brooklyn- they are offering right now two sheets of flash. A $50 & $100 flash sheet special lasts until 11 PM on the 14th.
At the new Thicker Than Water studio on 181 Avenue B in Manhattan- they are offering a $14 special all day on Valentine's Day.
...and finally at Jersey City Tattoo they are also offering an all day $14 special on Valentine's Day...
On Twitter now is Father Panik, tweeting about the Baltimore Tattoo Convention taking place this weekend; however, it seems there hasn't been much to report from the convention floor, with a blizzard keeping many away.
But the show must go on as Father Panik says in 140 characters or less:
"Baltimore tattoo convention. Blood and snow. Half ass blizzard shutting down the city. Convention goes on. Carneys in charge."
This Saturday, February 6th at 7PM, NYC's Last Rites Gallery will present two solo exhibitions: one featuring the work of breakthrough tattoo and fine artist Nick Baxter, and the other of comic art wunderkind Fred Harper.
In these exhibits, the artists will show new paintings, works that lean towards shadowy and sinister. It is Last Rites after all. Gallery Director Andrew Michael Ford offers more:
"Harper's large,
loose, darkly humorous depictions of female cyborgs and the like have a
sickly sweet quality that both attack and embrace the viewer at the
same time. Baxter, on the other hand, works on small surfaces in tight,
intricate detail, made up of wet skin, gleaming blood and sharp metal
objects throughout. Although there styles are vastly different, they
share the same intense desire to show the fine art world what they can
do when they're not rocking their respective industries."
The show runs February 6th through February
28th, 2010 at Last Rites Gallery, 511 W. 33rd
Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues (3 blocks from Penn Station),
3rd floor, New York. Saturday's opening will be from 7 to 11PM. I'll see you there.
And finally, just before I was about to click publish on this post, I got a Facebook reminder that, tomorrow, Amelia Klem Osterud will discuss her book The Tattooed Lady: A History at Word bookstore in Brooklyn from 7:30-9PM. We featured the book here in November and I've devoured my copy since. As an added bonus, tattoo artists Bad News Becca and Emma of Porcupine Tattoo will be discussing their work.
