I had some work to do in Olomouc during one of the largest events of its kind in the Czech Republic ‒ the Tattoo Expo Haná festival.
I consider myself an art lover (a lover, not an expert), so I didn't want to miss this event (and it wasn't my first time). When else can you peek into an artist's "kitchen" and watch them work up close, literally looking over their shoulder?
Tattooing is actually a very personal and intimate art form. When a photographer takes a picture or a painter creates a painting, there's a certain distance, even with very intimate photos or portraits. Whereas a tattoo artist has direct, close personal contact with their client, simply by the nature of the work.
Qui custodiet ipsos custodes? is a Latin proverb. And who tattoos the tattoo artists? Well, sometimes it's a DIY job 😊
At the event, quite extensive tattoos were being done. Sometimes, two tattoo artists would work on a single piece simultaneously. Which is definitely challenging for both parties.
Tattooing isn't always as painful as people sometimes claim (yes, it depends on the body part), but it's still a test of endurance and patience.
By the way, we recently discussed in a comment that someone feels shy about photographing people. In such a case, I'd recommend participating in an event like this one. There was a really friendly atmosphere ‒ not only did no one mind being photographed, even when I was getting into their very personal space, but in many cases, people actually encouraged me to photograph their tattoo.
At the Tattoo Expo Haná, there was more to see than just tattoos ‒ but I'll save those details for another story.
