A man and a woman show their tattoos
Though tattoos in China still draw scorn from Chinese elders and double-takes from straight-laced youth, this weekend China’s tattoo enthusiasts gathered in Beijing for China’s Tattoo Show Convention 2007. Until recently, tattoos in China were reserved for those with ties to organized crime, a prison record or membership to one of China’s tribal minorities for whom body art has long been a custom. In today’s China, as evidenced by over 1000 tattoo artists, suppliers and amateurs from all of China’s provinces who attended the opening ceremony, the tattoo has taken on a entirely new and mainstream cultural significance.
The 3-day convention at the Sunshine Art Space in Beijing opened Saturday morning with a welcoming ceremony and a sign-up session for anyone who wished to get tatted during the event. The following days included various tattoo competitions, a comparative exhibit on Chinese and Western tattoo philosophies and different presentations of tattoos within China and all over the world.
