“When Miki Vialetto asked me to draw one of the posters for this year’s edition of the Gods of Ink, I thought how to express the idea I had of this convention: an event where anything can happen, where if you catch the ball rolling, unpredictable things can happen…” Jose Lopez in the poster he designed for the convention depicted this concept in a really amusing way: a dog, a dachshund, anxiously waiting for a man lying on a sofa to throw him a ball to catch.
But each and every one of the tattoo artists present in the 350 stands of Gods of Ink, now that the most-awaited event of the year is over, can certainly represent what was the “ball” thrown to them during these three days in Frankfurt.
It was an edition that astonished all participants for the number of visitors and the work involved, for the tattoo artists present, who made a non-stop effort to carry out their work, and for the very high level of quality, guaranteed by Miki Vialetto as artistic director. For the audience, who was able to enjoy an enchanting choral atmosphere and witness the creation of hundreds of works, starting from the ground floor area dedicated to tebori tattooing, all the way up to the second floor.
It was nice to see that so many tattoo artists took up the invitation launched by Miki Vialetto himself to give space to walk-ins and not to consider this convention as a mere showcase to display their best. A way of involving and attracting a new, absolutely international public, who has therefore begun a new journey – which in many cases will also involve new travels and new experiences – with their newly chosen tattoo artist.
“This was one of the things I really cared about,” said Miki, ” because the co-protagonist of a convention is the public and not the passive spectator who is not allowed to have any connection with the tattoo artists present. In my conventions you cannot have the message ‘fully booked’ launched before a convention starts on social channels. I really appreciated all the artists who followed my invitation to post “Walk-ins welcome“, to which so many responded”.
Plenty of quality around, starting with the many Oriental-style body suits that the great names of Asian tattooing had brought to the convention. It would be difficult and unfair to name just some, as the choice of the best ones had already been made at the moment of the invitations to take part at the event. Very few absentees – immediately replaced – and active stands from 11.30 am to closing time.
The location gave the organizers the opportunity to show all the German efficiency: few queues and only at the most popular food trucks, indoor drink areas bubbling with draft beer, very clean restrooms, escalators and lifts to move quickly and effortlessly between floors.
On the Ground Floor a big screen to follow the great Saturday and Sunday contest shows, on the First Floor a window overlooking the Ground Floor for an overall view of all the stands, from merchandising to tattoo artists. Great music by the renowned deejays invited to play on the main stage which was set up on the Second Floor, and which was filled with the unmissable Fuel Girls who, for their powerful and enthralling scenic eclecticism, won the podium as the most popular show with the public.
Offstage, the entertainment continued in the large gallery dedicated to art exhibitions with paintings by Chris Guest and his live art show, Sakiko Nomura’s photo exhibition dedicated to Horimono, Ransho Mandala exhibition by Masoto Sudo. Mike Dorsey’s paintings with his Reinvented Japanese and Ukyo-e genre and Alfredo Mojo‘s realistic oil paintings. And to remain in Italy, the Italian Hustla exhibition focused on black and grey and lettering, all of Italian origin, with appearances by the great interpreters of these two popular genres.
Jee Sayalero’s “Take Me Back to Me” intrigued and amused the public with its reinterpretation of the pop-style tattoo with characters from the cartoon world, presenting everything from Winnie the Pooh to Hello Kitty to the Pink Panther, decorated with tattoo graphics.
Metal for Nepal presented an exceptional art exhibition with a diverse array of paintings crafted by talented tattoo artists from around the globe, all of whom took part in the esteemed Nepal Inked tattoo gathering in Kathmandu last November. And in addition there was a selection of artworks and paintings originating from Nepal. Every contribution, as all proceeds generated from the exhibition directly fueled the ongoing initiatives of the association in Nepal.
And the show within the show was, as always, to experience the convention, to meet up with people belonging to the same industry or sharing the same passion, to discover, to review tattooing, to get passionate about following an incredible work in progress. To live tattooing, not through a screen in one’s own environment, but with the continuous noise of the machine we all like.
To meet face to face with old friends and share dinner parties and fun moments in which to tell each other about our life, which is not only made up of tattoos but of experiences, of journeys like this that bring new things and take you out of the shell of your studio, a small shell compared to the world of tattooing, which on this occasion showed all its imposing strength, as it has not been for a long time.
And at the same time our own human vulnerability – for those who know the tattoo family, it is impossible not to miss Mao… – and the need to seize each of these moments, to enjoy them fully. Who knows how many have “seized the ball” and who knows what fruits will be born from this convention.
As always, we will gather what we can and accompany all of you, our readers, to discover what we have intercepted in these three days. Starting from showing you the winners of the contests and in future presenting the ideas of the tattoo artists who will have the honour of giving the Gods of Ink a graphic identity, creating the new posters for the 2025 edition. Stay tuned!
SATURDAY CONTEST
SUNDAY CONTEST
Photos: Mario Teli courtesy Gods of Ink
