Tattoo culture has gained strength in Medellin in recent years. In fact, you’ll find many professional tattoo studios throughout the city.
Whether you want to bring a tattooed souvenir from your trip to Medellin or to get that tattoo you wanted a long time ago, the Medellin Tattoo Expo is the perfect opportunity to get some new ink.
Does this sound like something you might like? Then keep on reading to know how to prepare for and what to expect at Medellin Tattoo Expo 2022!
An Overview of Medellin Tattoo Expo 2022
The Medellín Tattoo Expo is an annual cultural exhibition created in 2010. Over the course of three days, famous tattooists of national and international stature gather to demonstrate their skills in tattoo competitions.
At the event, attendees can enjoy other events such as:
- Live painting
- Graffiti contest and gallery
- Breakdance battle
- Live music performances
- Miss & Mister tattoo event
- Art fusion (two artists on the same canvas)
The goal of the event is to bring together ink and art lovers to show the world their talent and promote local art.
This is also a place where you can get a spontaneous tattoo or buy some merchandise from your favorite tattoo studio.
Getting Your Tickets and How to Get There
The event takes place every year in the yellow pavilion of Plaza Mayor, one of the city’s largest and most important convention centers.
One of the benefits of Plaza Mayor is its generous amount of parking lots in case you’re planning to drive there.
However, the quickest way to get there is by taking the metro. All you have to do is get to the Alpujarra or Exposiciones stations; both are a few minutes from the convention center. You can also take other means of transport such as Metroplus, and bike.
Once you arrive, you can buy your tickets at the entrance of the pavilion or purchase them on the Plaza Mayor website.
Usually, the tickets for events that take place in Plaza Mayor are very budget-friendly. But, keep in mind that once you enter the pavilion, you won’t be able to leave unless you want to pay for two tickets.
Website:https://plazamayor.com.co/eventos/expotatuajemedellin-2022/
Instagram: @expotatuajemedellin
Address: Cra. 57 # 41-81, La Candelaria, Medellín, Antioquia
Tattoo Artists at the Expo
The Medellin Tattoo Expo brings Latin American, American, and Canadian artists together. In other words, you can find different techniques and styles from the best and most recognized tattoo artists.
Some of the styles you’ll find at the event, which is also categories of the tattoo contest, are:
- Lettering
- Oriental
- Freehand
- Color realism
- Old school
- New school
- Dotwork
- Art fusion
- Minimalist
- Shadow realism
- Neotraditional
When you enter the convention, you’ll have hundreds of booths to choose from. Then, it’s up to you to find your favorite style and design to get tattooed, or just stroll through the convention halls and enjoy the artistic and chill vibe.
Keep in mind that if you want a more detailed tattoo, you should schedule an appointment with the artist beforehand. However, if what you want is some last-minute ink, you can try getting a tattoo with an international artist who doesn’t have many clients or appointments.
I also recommend you regularly keep an eye on the Medellin Tattoo Expo social networks since that’s where they publish artists who need volunteers to be a canvas. While you won’t get to pick the tattoo, it’s a great way to get some free ink!
Art Galleries, Live Painting, and Music Performances
The Medellin Tattoo Expo is also a place to enjoy other events such as painting exhibitions, dance shows, and other activities.
For instance, at this year’s expo, there was a collaborative piece of graffiti, where 6 professional artists created a blend of urban and traditional styles. Apparently, the process takes the entire 3 days of the expo!
The goal of the graffiti piece is to show each day’s progress and to teach the public a little about the proper techniques to use paint sprays.
Another interesting part of the expo is the wide variety of DJs and artists that will lift your spirits with their many different music genres.
The Medellin Tattoo Expo also offers workshops for those who wish to learn more about the different categories of tattoos. If you want to know which workshops will be held for the expo, you should keep an eye on the event’s social media.
You can’t miss the old school and realism workshop. Just remember that the seats are limited, so make sure you get to the workshop place in advance. Some of the topics to be addressed in the workshop are:
- Theory
- Materials
- Live tattoo
- Personal questions
Tips for Enjoying Medellin Tattoo Expo
If you’re spending all day (or all three days) at the convention, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Take everything you need to spend the day without leaving the pavilion (to avoid having to pay for re-entry).
- There are places to buy something to eat or drink, but you can also bring some snacks with you.
- If you want to get tattooed at the event, you should schedule an appointment with the artist in advance.
- If you want a small tattoo, make sure you have the image handy.
- If you want to be a canvas for an artist, you must schedule an appointment in advance. Usually, they’ll give you very good discounts since you won’t choose the design.
Get Some New Ink at the Medellin Tattoo Expo 2022
Whether you want to get a new tattoo or just spend the day admiring national and international artists’ interesting works of art, Medellin Tattoo Expo 2022 is an event that you should check out.
Are you thinking of getting a new tattoo? What’s your favorite style? Let us know in the comments!
