A matter of ink-lination

The body is the canvas for over 80 tattoo artists from India and abroad participating in the first ever international tattoo festival in India being held in Delhi

Tattoos are said to be an extension of one’s soul. From starlets to the young rebel, almost everyone has something to say through their body art. Tattoos are all about an individual’s attitude towards life and reflect their personality and ideologies. Adding a colourful narrative to several more tattoo chronicles, the three-day Heartwork Tattoo Festival, the first ever international tattoo festival in India, is being held in the capital at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium with the participation of over 80 best known tattoo artists from India and overseas. The fest celebrates the design, history and evolution of tattoos and seeks to clear myths revolving around them.

Hotshot ink man to the stars, Sameer Patange, Delhi-based Lokesh Verma who is one of India’s first award-winning tattoo artists, Tattoo Empire India and Tattoo Gizmo have curated this convention. Sameer elaborates, “We have over 80 artists, both national and international, with different sense and sensibilities, showcasing their designs ranging from the traditional to the modern. Artists of international repute like New York-based Paul Booth often known as ‘the new king of rock tattoos’ and Anil Gupta, one of the topmost inkers in the US who specialises in reproductions of paintings by old masters, are some of the key attractions of the festival. There are also artists from Korea and Taiwan presenting ‘live tattooing’.”

Tattoos are not merely an act of rebellion, but a serious statement about one’s personality, believes Swedish tattoo artist Jocke Hultman, who has flown down with his family for the convention.

Jocke shares, “My whole family is into tattoo-designing and we are excited to showcase our work to Indian clients. I am surprised by the response that we are getting here. For our Delhi clients, we have some exceptional Viking tattoo designs and symbols. Viking designs are related to the glorious past of the Nordic countries. Unfortunately, modern pop culture has a lot of misconceptions about Vikings, like horned or winged helmets, etc.”

He adds, “All this has nothing to do with historical truth.” Several local artists too are making their presence felt at the fiesta. City-based artist Ali Burrni says that he is tremendously happy that this sort of an initiative is seeing light of day. “Time was when tattooing was illegal even in a place like the US, artists were underground, responded only to secret knocks and accepted payment only in cash,” Ali recalls, adding, “There’s always a struggle. A thing like tattoos was uncommon in India and when people started looking towards the West, it was like a huge culture shock and you needed to re-invent yourself. But the thing about tattoos that I find most interesting and fascinating is that they bring about bonding. As an artist, you meet people who trust you and your work while you can barely speak their language. You work towards your talent and love for art, you hustle and convince people.

There is no formula in art. It’s one of those very deep and personal journeys that you take on their behalf and you end up learning so much, respecting people, their boundaries, etc. — rating much above fame or money.” His advice for someone getting their first tattoo: “Just find a great artist that you connect with, who you want to spend time with and whose work you appreciate. Do your homework and be picky. We’re more than welcoming of people’s questioning and ideas. There’s no such thing as a stupid question.”

The community is small and the brotherhood is tight, and Kolkata-based artist Abhinandan Basu, or AB as he is fondly called, leaves no room for the question, who is best of them all “There is no such thing as who is better — we leave no room for ego or supremacy and who is better than who. You cannot compare Dali with Picasso now, can you Everyone has their own unique visions and interpretations of a dream, a philosophy or life itself. I am just having fun looking, and exchanging ideas with fellow artists. There are artists with vast bodies of work that date back to the late 80s, early 90s and are refined. Watching them work, the needle skimming over their client’s arm or shoulder with that low buzzing sound, is almost hypnotic,” he adds.

About the monetary element he says, “Yes, when I started out it was not lucrative, that’s for sure. Creatively we were limited to what we thought was popular back then. In the past decade or so, the scope of what can be done has grown wider and things are changing for the better now.” The artists present at the venue are also revealing tips and tricks starting with basic things that artists and clients tend to ignore, such as needle selection, stencil making and application, pigment dilution, use of the right machine for different kinds of tattoos and much more. “Apart from live tattooing for the clients, there are seminars on topics discussing the intricacies of fine tattoo art, digital inking, portrait sketching, tips to become a great tattoo artist and more,” adds Sameer.

AB feels that we should have more festivals like these since they are like a gateway to meeting people and exchanging ideas to practise one’s art. “We live in such seclusion, burying ourselves deeper within our own work. Festivals like this are a fine way to come out and participate,” he signs off.