The buzzing noise of the tattoo machine, the rich and prolific colours around, live art and the strongest medium of expression made up the Kolkata Tattoo Festival days before Durga Puja. Co-organised by Niloy Das (owner and artist at Lizard’s Skin Tattoos) and Abhishek Bihari, the festival was held from October 13 to 15 at Eastern Metropolitan Club in Santoshpur with an extended Alpana Edit at The Rajbari Bawali, the heritage resort.
The festival featured a host of tattoo artists from India and across the globe who showcased their work across four floors, a main stage with a promising line-up, skateboarding and martial arts on the sideline, dance battles over the three days, tattooing competition, plus a promising initiative by LokKala, tattoo artists who joined hands with the organisers of Kolkata Tattoo Festival to raise money for the education of children of the Bansai Prochesta (an NGO for children and adults with autism). The fourth day was a culmination of the spirit of festivity associated with Durga Puja and it was celebrated with the essence and touch of bonedi barir Pujo at The Rajbari Bawali.
The international artists on board included renowned names like Rengeesh Haridas from Amma Tattoos, Netherlands; Jocke Hultman from the Hultman Family, Sweden; Hobbit from Static Engravers, Nepal; Jhenn Oz from France; Tassos Zach from Dasilva Tattoo Shop, Germany; Matthew W from the US; and Uditha Rangana from Soul Ink, Sri Lanka. There were plenty of national artists on board as well. The musical line-up included the headliners: Underground Authority with their newest vocalist Siddhant Sharma aka Classic Kid Sid on board, Durnibar and Humsufi. t2 was there to soak it all in and we bring you some snapshots:
Organiser Speak:
“The whole idea of The Kolkata Tattoo Festival is to bring all the artists around the world under one roof. It’s a learning experience for the upcoming tattoo artists and the other point is, being a Bengali I’m really proud of Durga Puja and the art involved in it is incredible as we all know. Every year, the festival sets a new benchmark when it comes to the artwork, the themed pujas and structures exhibit great artwork. It isn’t just a spiritual or religious festival, it is also a festival of art. I wanted all the tattoo artists around the globe to come and enjoy this festival and spread the word of Durga Puja’s grandeur. The whole idea of doing the Kolkata Tattoo Festival amidst the hullaballoo of Durga Puja was to promote the festival and all the artworks involved in it. We incorporated MMA workshops, skateboarding workshops, dance battles, music, street art, and even blood donation camps to break the myth that people with tattoos cannot donate blood. Calcutta is the art capital of India, and I really wanted people from the tattoo community across the globe to get a taste of that,” said Niloy Das, owner and artist at Lizard’s Skin Tattoos and co-organiser of Kolkata Tattoo Festival.
Artists Speak:
(l-r) Matthew Wzojciechowski, TattoosbyMatthew, Virginia, USA, Jhenn Oz, Jocke Hultman, Hultman Family, Sweden
“I specialise in Asian styles from Japan mixed with a bit of South-Asian styles. I incorporate Vedic works, Japanese styles, Tibetan styles and more. I always loved tattooing and when I got the chance to do it, it was like a dream and I continued with it. I like the strong images I create with a solid background. I had a great experience in Calcutta, it’s got the best sweets in the world and it was so wonderful working with Indian tattooers. They’re all very welcoming and super talented,” said Matthew Wzojciechowski, TattoosbyMatthew, Virginia, USA.
“I belong to a very different culture and I don’t really relate to having difficulties being a female tattoo artist. However, it is less in number around the globe and I’m really glad I do this. I specialise in black work and I freelance. I’m inspired by the contrasts of designs. Whenever I come to Asia, I get inspired by scriptures and handcrafts,” said Jhenn Oz.
“I do oriental work. I started back in 1988 and was very fascinated by Japanese movies and artworks. I’ve visited India 15-20 times at least and it’s been a great experience. I usually conceptualise and build on the ideas of my clients. I hate the traffic here, but the convention was very good. It’s like a big family,” said Jocke Hultman, Hultman Family, Sweden.
“I’m from Greece, living in Germany and I specialise in abstract realism. I like working mostly with black and grey shades. I mostly do brass strokes and I like the outcome of the designs. A tattoo is a permanent artwork on a body, and appreciation of the work is the biggest compliment one can get and it’s a good feeling. The tattoo convention was beautiful in Calcutta. It was well-made with really good people and artists on board,” said Tassos Zach.
“I’m from Kerala but I moved to the Netherlands 15 years ago. I like doing colour work and I was inspired by tattoos themselves, even though I don’t have any,” said Rengeesh.
The first day had Underground Authority with their newest vocalist on board as the headlining performance. They enthralled the crowd with a live snippet of their latest release Saansein. Lazy Pockets, Retronica, Universe In a Crayon and Halo were also a part of the October 13 line-up. Sa Re Ga Ma Pa fame Durnibar and Prashmita Paul performed on October 14. The October 15 line-up started with some soulful Sufi by Humsufi, followed by supporting performances by Aabol Tabol, Shnuopoka and the dynamic duo Shrestha and Hiten.
The dance battle judged by leading Indian hip-hop artistes like Ivoker, Nepo, Manish, Neeraj, Rawshan, 3D Lock, Boogie LLB and Addyction saw a three-day gala of talented young dancers putting their best foot forward. JRM from Odisha won an international sponsorship to Vietnam for his locking, Yuganshu from Delhi won the All Style category, and Pratham from Gorakhpur, UP, bagged the first prize for the Hip-Hop category.
The Rajbari Bawali hosted the festive edit of Kolkata Tattoo Festival. With a live performance by Odvut, a beautiful sandhya aarti and live music by Shakti & Satyan, the artists got a taste of what a bonedi barir pujo is like and enjoyed Bengali cuisine against the rustic beauty and grandeur of the Rajbari.
"Seeing so many eclectic and talented people with a shared passion for the art form was interesting. It’s a movement that’s rising and The Rajbari Bawali is delighted to be a part of this and any such art initiative," said Ajay Rawla, owner of The Rajbari Bawali.
