(From right) Snowdan with Liew and Monkey Tattoo Studio founder Jeremy Lo witnessing the miring ceremony prior to launching the event. — Photos by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: The 3rd Traditional Borneo Tattoo Expo Borneo 2014, themed ‘The Revival’ was officially launched — with a splash of ink and ritual — at Le’ Park yesterday.
The three-day event, which ends tomorrow, is seeing the participation of more than 30 local and international tattoo artists.
“This event acts as one of the important elements for the tourism industry,” said Balai Ringin assemblyman Snowdan Lawan after a ‘miring ceremony’ to symbolise the launch yesterday.
He also hoped that the event will be continued next year to ride on the success of this year’s event, which boasts a huge list of artists who specialise in the traditional, modern style, colour portraits, letterings and oriental tattoos.
A tattoo artist from Indonesia inks a tattoo on a visitor.
The event is organised by Monkey Tattoo Studio and supported by OurYouth.my.
According to the organisers, the event is to promote the Sarawak side of traditional tattoo as a form of art, raise awareness on the dying art of traditional tattoo, produce new talents and to spark new interests in the revered Borneo art around the globe.
The event also acts as a platform for congregation and networking of experts and new artists in order to alleviate the tattoo industry in Sarawak.
Among the featured tattoo artists are Teha fron Sweden, Ricky Sta Ana (The Philippines), Dmitri Babakhin (Russia), Taku Oshima (Japan), Jimmy Wong (Thailand), Folk Hendra (West Kalimantan) and Boy Skrang (Sarawak).
Also present was OurYouth.my director Dato Patrick Liew.
A visitor (lying down) gets tattooed the traditional way by an artist.