Foreign artists and ink lovers have descended on Malta for the latest edition of the Malta Tattoo Expo as the tattoo culture enjoys considerable growth and more people choose to express themselves in this unique way.

While people’s perspective on body art is definitely changing, there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of educating the public, Damian Allison, one of the organisers, said.

“We still hear the occasional disgusting discrimination story even though these have become more isolated. There still is, however, a certain level of stigma attached to tattoos. Some people will immediately assume that someone with body art must be less educated than the norm,” Mr Allison said.

“Little do these people know that among those individuals there are tattooed lawyers defending them, tattooed doctors and nurses treating them, tattooed accountants keeping their books and everything else in between.”

Mr Alison’s fascination started at a young age, growing up with a father who himself sported many tattoos.

“Being used to tattoos, I appreciated them instead of being repulsed, so when I turned 18, I got my very first one and I got hooked. I started discovering different artists and styles and that made me dive deeper into this artistic world,” he recalled.

And, while he knows of many cases where tattoos had a negative impact on careers, Mr Allison himself was lucky enough not to have experienced such discrimination.

The fifth edition of the expo, between Friday and Sunday, attracts some of the most well-known names in the sector, including Durb Morrison from the US, Lisa Elsom from the UK, and Amanda Blodogs from Canada.

But the organisers lament that the event still lacks government support even if they reckon it is a “tourist-puller”.

“The costs in organising an event of this level are prohibitive,” Mr Allison said.

“The expo does fill a lot of hotel rooms, if we are looking at numbers. It is intended to promote local artists within both the local and international communities. It’s a shame, really.”

The idea for the convention was conceived five years ago when Mr Allison realised that, despite a growing interest in tattoo art on the local front, there was no event that bridged the gap between artist and client on an international level.

“When we first came up with the idea and started applying for permits, people called us crazy. Even those within the industry were sceptical,” Mr Allison said.

“The general feedback was that many had tried to organise something similar but had failed due to a lack of infrastructure and legal framework. We had to build everything from scratch but, five years down the line, the event continues to grow and the interest is undisputed.”

Some people assume that someone with body art must be less educated than the norm

The ultimate aim behind the expo, he pointed out, remained the promotion of tattoos as an alternative art form.

“Just because it’s not on a canvas or made of stone, it does not mean it’s not art,” Mr Allison remarked.

The expo has seen constant growth over the past years. This year, the event will see the return of the highly-popular performer and tattoo model Cervena Fox with a new show and an expanded set-up. There will also be a state-of-the-art car simulator to spice things up.

“We always have a few extra surprises up our sleeves, too.

“The event is not only meant for those who want to get a tattoo done and the programme is drafted to target people from all walks of life,” Mr Allison added.

 

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