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The human body becomes the canvas of Central American tattoors who participate in the Expotatto, which takes place in Guatemala.
A person tattoo this Saturday, during the tenth edition of the Expotatto of Guatemala. (Free Press Photo: EFE)
Dozens of artists from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico and Colombia gathered this Saturday in Guatemala City for the tenth edition of the Expotatto where hundreds of new pieces are expected to be tattooed.
“This expo is an important space for the world of tattoo in Central America because it opens the doors to many artists and businessmen,” Gerard Ledezma, a 36 -year -old Costa Rican who traveled from Costa Rica to tattoo in Guatemala during this convention told Efe.
Like Ledezma, approximately 200 people are being tattooed by different artists in this expo that is considered one of the most important in the region because it brings togetherThe main exponents of this art of Guatemala and Costa Rica.
“It is an opportunity to coincide with colleagues from different countries and expose what we do outside our spaces,” Oscar Ayala, a Salvadoran tattoo artist with 26 years of experience and known as ‘Muzzu’.
According to Ayala, the tattoo in Central America “is now freer, people tattoo more because before there was a lot of violence and gangs” and adds that the Expotatto of Guatemala has given space for five editions to tattoo in the country.
The organization explained that the expo eStar will available on March 29 and 30. In addition, apart from tattoos the event offers piercings and competition for the best tattoos prepared during the event in five different categories.
In Ayala’s opinion, the negative stigma about tattooed people has decreased in countries such as Guatemala and El Salvador but this also represents a challenge for them because competition is diversified and conventions serve to open doors to tattooists to other audiences.
