Anneli Adolfsson

Fantastic! Stick a needle in my eye right now and I will be marked forever. Mario Barth proved that the failing economy does not necessarily affect everyone and most certainly not the flow of dedicated fans, curious on-lookers, artists and walking canvases from coming together for a weekend of debauchery, strong sense of community and life changing experiences. Welcome to the Biggest Tattoo Show On Earth!

Talented artists from all over the world; Samoa, Polynesia, Taiwan, Japan, Germany, Norway and many more gathered to the delight of people from all walks of life, thirsting for eternal artwork. I was fascinated to watch the variety of techniques used to pound the ink into the skin.

The Samoans use two wooden sticks; the bone tipped rake gets dipped in the ink while the other is used for striking in order to puncture the skin, as multiple assistants stretch the skin taut. The right to perform tattoos in Samoa is generally traced by their ancestors. And the wife of a tattooer is greatly honored in her position by wiping the blood of the tattooed person. (NOTE! Please read comment from Peter Sulu’ape’s wife Tasha for corrected detailed information).

And imagine my surprise as I laid my eyes on this female body cast at the Tattoo Museum, only to discover it was Maud Adams, the twice James Bond girl, actress and model from my hometown Lulea in North of Sweden. It’s not everyday you see a homegirl’s torso naked on display in a glass case…

The show had something for everyone, whether you were a hardcore, diehard fan dedicated to tattoos as a lifestyle or the curious housewife and corporate husband looking to live on the edge for a day. Skulls everywhere, from devilish designs to pink delightful ones, it was all there. Jewelry, shirts, supplies and vendors offering everything remotely related to the tattoo community.

People served up their flesh for penetrating ink to crete designs and patterns to be carried away and remembered forever. Whether it was the sound of the electromagnetic coils firing away or the tapping sound of the sticks, it had a soothing rhythmical feel to it.

Men and women alike were equally decorated and decked out in body art. I saw some fascinating characters roaming the aisles; one man with silicone implants on his head and face, split tongue and piercings in places I thought were impossible. Awesome!

A more traditional style is the Japanese technique known as Tebori or tattooing by hand by puncturing the skin with needles. It is gently done by adjusting the strength of the human hand holding the handle made of wood or metal with a set of needles attached to the end. According to many enthusiasts, it does less damage than the electric version.

I loved every second of Mario Barth’s extravaganza and also ran into Evan Seinfeld, longtime friend and celebrity MC for the event. Caught him doing interviews next to Chuck Zito’s booth, former Hell’s Angels president and now actor, who was promoting his book Street Justice.

It was an eclectic weekend filled with contests, freaks on leashes and walking pieces of art. It goes to show that in tight knit families, there will always be support, even in times of economic distress. So Mr Barth, thumbs up for the Biggest Tattoo Show In Earth!