International tattoo and art expo adds colour at Claudelands
You can barely see the skin for the tattoos at the International Tattoo and Art Expo at Claudelands this weekend.
Claudelands Showgrounds is full of colour and sound this weekend as it hosts the third International Tattoo and Art Expo.
The exhibit floor was buzzing with all types of urban street culture and the sound of tattoo machines on Saturday as live works of art were created on skin and canvas.
Among the more than 100 artists was Wintec Media Arts graduate Ali Selliman who turned “just doodling on skin” into his own business after receiving his first tattoo machine as a gift. After a year and a half in business, he says kids’ names are the most common tattoo he is asked for.
There were many competitions running on Saturday, ranging from tattoo of the day to best Ta Moko and Pacific Island influenced, along with the crowd-attracting Miss Tattoo New Zealand. All competition entry fees were donated to the SPCA.
The expo had much more to offer, with street art and graffiti artists working around the grounds throughout the day.
Stunt riders Nick Kroeze from Stunt NZ and Luke Smith (Crusty Demon and Nitro Circus rider) also mesmerised the crowd, with Nick executing a variety of surreal balancing acts on his road bike, while Luke performed a series of whips and flips on his freestyle motocross bike, sometimes directly over Nick.
The expo is open until 7pm on Sunday. Entry is $22 dollars for general, $19 for students, and free for 12 years and under.
