Top tattooists at Southern Ink Xposure

Kicking off the week-long celebration of the ancient art of tattooing, the Loft Studios in Bree Street will launch the fourth Cape Town International Tattoo Convention event with the opening of three art exhibitions.

Body Of Work - a mixed-media exhibition that explores and reinterprets the tattoo (and in particular, traditional tattoo motifs) as a contemporary art form.

Helmets - some of the country's best tattoo artists have added their art to some custom-designed motorcycle helmets. These one-of-a-kind artworks will be auctioned after the convention with all proceeds going to a chosen charity.

Tattoo-themed putt-putt course - an art installation that has taken the concept of the traditional miniature golf course and turned it on its head. Each uniquely conceived and constructed hole on this functional putt-putt course carries its own "old school" tattoo theme. Themes such as True Love, Mexican Skull, Man's Ruin, sailor tattoos and others will feature.

World's top tattooists

For the remainder of the weekend, the Cape Town International Tattoo Convention will again give thousands of South Africans and travellers from abroad the opportunity to get inked by some of the world's most in-demand tattoo artists, at a hygienic, safe, friendly and entertainment-filled event. Seventy booths, 20 vendors, floor shows featuring Burlesque dancing, acrobatic displays, sword-swallowing, live music and more, the putt-putt course, and a few more special surprises besides, will keep the curious and the tattoo-hungry completely entertained while the artists get down to work.

Making this event the biggest international tattoo convention on the continent, tattoo artists from some 15 countries this year, among them the US, Spain, the UK, France, Belgium, Austria, Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Argentina, Kenya, Canada, with a strong showing of our own South African talent, will be in attendance amounting to almost 100 artists in total.

Attendees can look forward to thrilling in the artworks of big-name tattoo legends such as Robert Hernandez (Spain), La Astrid (Norway), Benjamin Moss (US), , Manuela Gray (SA), Jay Jay (Sweden), Rev. Simon White (SA), Joe Johns (US), Tyler Murphy (SA), Milo Marcer (SA), Derek Baker (SA), Gordon Claus (Germany), (SA), Laura Juan (Spain), Thomas Alvarado (US) and Tom Yak (US).

Live music events

Being more than "just a tattoo convention", S.I.X 2012 aims to again paint the town in multi-chromatic hues with art exhibitions and live music events storming different and diverse venues across the city.

On Friday night, bands The Great Apes, Wolftown, and rockabilly rousers Them Tornados will further add to the soundtrack of what promises to be a weekend of good music and awesome tattoos at the Hold Fast party staged at the Harley-Davidson clubhouse in Zonnebloem.

Johannesburg rock kings the Shadowclub will be holding stage at The Assembly (Saturday, 28) in a bid for "Death Or Glory", playing alongside aKing, Dead Lucky and The Pits. One party-goer will take home a Fender guitar courtesy of Paul Bothner Music.

Tickets

Tickets are available for either the full weekend (R250pp) or on a single day pass (R100pp), available from Computicket outlets and at the following tattoo parlours in Cape Town: Wildfire Tattoos (Long Street and Canal Walk); Metal Machine (city); Sins of Style (city); Mob Inc Tattoo Bistro (Sea Point); Body Architects (Claremont).

The events' Twitter and Facebook groups and pages will be keeping fans up to date with the latest developments and additions in the lead up to, and during the convention opening.

The convention's website www.capetattooconvention.co.za also contains a wealth of information for those looking to book their next tattoo, or merely find out who, where, what and why.

Click here to stand a chance to win 2 VIP tickets

The convention opening hours will be:

Friday, 27 January: 5pm to 11pm.
Saturday, 28 January: 11am to 10pm.
Sunday, 29 January: 12pm to 8pm.