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Preceded by overflowing lines of hopeful attendees, the Body Art Expo at the Arizona State Fairgrounds truly represented the popular and ever-rising body-art culture.Numerous tattoo and piercing vendors from all over the West came to the event Feb. 17-19 equipped with their best artists, most informed shop members and most attractive designs.
Even with staggered admissions to prevent overcrowding, the exhibit was still at capacity inside the bright yellow exhibition building.
Within three steps of the front entrance, the exhibit proved to be a challenge to navigate, and the massive amounts of people who crowded around various booths created a maze for all who wished to make his or her way around.
Within the hundreds of booths that occupied the limited exhibition space were thousands of paintings, potential tattoo designs, T-shirts, accessories and tattoo benches for live art.
Along with the option to receive a tattoo at the expo, attendees could also purchase oil paintings and other various creations at each booth.
For the most part, several variations of traditional “Día de los Muertos” sugar skulls were the frontward artwork on display for several artists. Nearly every booth displayed these skulls in their paintings and for-sale artwork, each with a personal spin on the traditional design.
Located behind the informational displays on front tables of several booths, artists marked their art onto bodies. All recipients of tattoos were on display for a crowd to see.
When asked about the attention he was receiving while getting his tattoo, 27-year-old Jon Ashtroft seemed thankful for the publicity.
“All of the people are a welcome distraction,” Ashtroft said. “Anything to keep my mind off of the tattoo,” he continued, later explaining that he had been on the tattoo bench for almost three hours.
Ashtroft, like many other tattoo recipients, did not receive his first tattoo at the expo and was certainly not planning on making his new rooster-design tattoo on his lower leg his last.
“I’m going to finish up my leg, then maybe work my way up to an arm sleeve,” Ashtroft explained. His attitudes confirmed the common belief that getting tattooed becomes somewhat of an addiction.
The decisions behind receiving a tattoo vary, and are not always entirely thought-out. Samuel Alano, a front office assistant at “Avena Ink,” described the differing personality types of tattoo hopefuls.
“The more serious have art in hand,” Alano said. “Others give it no thought, then come in a year later and look at it and say, ‘Ah! What have I done?’”
Like any art culture, those who are completely immersed in the scene treat great tattoo artists like music fans treat music legends. Big-name artist Ruth “Ruthless” Pineda, who is associated with the popular television series “LA Ink,” was present at the expo and her booth drew huge crowds.
Continuously wiping sweat from her neck and forehead, Ruthless faced nonstop hollering from fans asking for pictures and autographs.
Tattoo supply companies came prepared with several needles, inks, benches, chairs, booklets and art samples for shops and artists to purchase for their own use.
Natural products were the trendy products for purchase. Several supply company booths offered paraben-free products, and many all-natural cleansers, balms and other skin products were readily available for tattoo recipients to buy for later maintenance of their body art.
For many, receiving and maintaining five or six tattoos seem like enough, but for one completely tattooed character, the whole body serves as an open canvas.
“The Enigma,” a creatively named act, was tattooed head-to-toe in a blue puzzle design and allowed attendees to pay $5 to have their picture taken with him.
The puzzling character also had an intentionally demented ear-shape and two large bulbs implanted inside of his forehead.
All art has the capacity for extremity, and the Body Art Expo was a sure representation of this potential. Among the young and old alike, tattooing seemed to be a steadily popular hobby nationwide, and there will assuredly be plenty more body-art events to visit the Valley in the future.
Reach the reporter at ejnicho@asu.edu
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