Cool Ink 2012 JHB Tattoo Expo

Ever tried getting tattooed but cringed at the thought of telling your conservative friends and family? SA is increasingly becoming more and more liberal every year, since #YOLO what better way of expressing your liberal beliefs than by getting a cool tattoo right? Having been discovered frozen in snow, even the oldest tattooed corpse ever found, 5 000 year old Otzi from Austria is literally ‘cool.’ Reality shows like Ink Masters show talented American tattooists, but is SA tattooing cooler? I was at the annual, three day, Cool Ink 2012 JHB Tattoo Expo. Wow, was it cool indeed.

Tattooing is an exotic art practiced since ancient history. The word has Pacific derivations, ‘Ta’ is Polynesian meaning ‘to strike something’ and ‘Tatau’ is Tahitan for ‘to mark something.’  Warrior tribes like the Maori of New Zealand wore facial tattoos called ‘moko’ to scare enemies.

Royston directing the daring suspension show on day 3 of the expo. They pierced silver hooks into their skin so the crane could lift them about 6 meters up. Photo courtesy of  Sigrun Wagner.

Despite this rich history, most South Africans have negative perceptions towards tattoos, seeing them as the reserve for tacky people. Fortunately, thanks to expos like Cool Ink, contemporary attitudes are changing rapidly. “Pre-94 people considered tattoos taboo,” says Royston Chapman, who founded Cool Ink three years ago with wife Karen.  “Nowadays respectable people like doctors and lawyers get inked.”

One myth Roy cleared is that HIV/AIDS is contractible from tattoo needles. “HIV/AIDS virus can be transferred via intravenous needles, not through tattoo needles because it can’t survive in open air.” Our eyes locked, “but you can get Hepatitis so make sure the artist opens the needle in front of you.”

Like most people here, Roy is completely covered in tattoos. There is a tribal marking on his left temple and a design on his shiny, bald head. A slight shudder runs down my spine as I wonder if Roy could be a ‘skin-head.’ Heavily tattooed, brutal Neo-Nazi’s who dragged people behind bakkies. “Definitely not,” He assured. His piercing blue eyes felt like they were staring into my soul. “My first tattoo was of my girlfriend’s initials and not a Swastika.” We chuckled, and during that moment I caught a sparkle in his eye hinting on a gentler side well camouflaged by this ink coated, tough exterior.

Jordan Nel from Little Shop of Horrors warns teens not to tattoo over pimples. “Don’t ink over zits or broken skin, only tattoo healthy skin.” Brandon Peterson from Back to Basics Tattoos and Piercings gives pointers for getting your first tattoo, “Research on the artist. A credible tattooist always asks for consent forms for under 18’s.” He paused, looking up at me with a smirk, “don’t forget to conceal the tattoos with your school blazer like I did,” and continued adorning his living canvas.

Cool Ink 2012 definitely showcases a lot of local talent. Interested? Roy says all you need is a good art background to start your shop, no tertiary or matric qualifications needed. Who knows? Maybe in the future, archaeologists will be excavating your parlour like Otzi’s remains. But maybe a more realistic goal would be beginning with a stand at Cool Ink 2013.