Tattooists In Oaxaca, Mexico - Law, A Graduate Of Fine Arts Are Strange Bedfellows With Tatuador

Tattoos and piercings background in Oaxaca, Mexico, through the eyes of a lawyer

Kaireddyn lawyer (I think), Orta began making his own, rudimentary tools to do the tattoo in 1996 while still in school here in Oaxaca, Mexico. One day a neighbor saw a man with a shoe box, and asked him what it was. Kai seemed suited to the engine, needles, ink and other supplies. Kai was the first recipient of the tattoo neighbors. I think then he started to do tattoos on his school.

Kai had been interested in tattoos (tatuajes) and body piercing (perforación) since childhood. It was natural for him because his father was a professor of history, continues to tell stories about the rituals of the indigenous populations of Mexico. There was no shortage of books around the house with pictures of pre-Hispanic people who were used to adorn themselves. Kai ate it up.

But I think all the youth saw the tattoos, the meat was a rarity. In addition to books, and occasionally run into a person tattooed on television, would only be able to see the real life of people with tattoos and piercings when they can see the North American and European tourists walking the streets of Oaxaca, the tourist international mecca.

The modern tradition of tattoos and piercings have been established in countries such as Canada, USA, Spain and Great Britain, long before he arrived in Mexico. How many subcultures new performance, it can take up to ten years in order to capture in Mexico, especially in remote areas and parts of the conservative country, including Oaxaca.

The State of Oaxaca has been very physically isolated from the northern half of the country, and even the world, until the arrival of the Panamerican Highway in the 1940s. While the foreign adventurer would make his way to Oaxaca between then and early 1960, was the hippie movement late in that decade and early 1970 that opened the south of Mexico to the notion of North America and Europe in counter-cultures, including tattoos and body piercings later. However, the predominant feeling of the Mexican middle class was that their children should be isolated from foreign students, and represented all sub-culture.

Forward to 1990. Change would begin to appear in Oaxaca. Tattoos, piercings and other non-traditional forms of self-expression begins to be perceived as dominant in the Western world. The white linen and magazines to promote its stars were pierced and tattooed become commonplace. Oaxaca had to take note. And that included the older generation, who were then forced to acknowledge, if not accept that the ritualized behavior of their grandchildren (and much less their children) could not be compared to something sneaky, dirty and evil, just as a consequence to change their physical appearance through painting and piercing their bodies permanently. Many in the youth culture of Oaxaca become critical thinkers with higher education and therefore more able to make informed decisions, defend and celebrate.

Kai is thirty years. The practice of law was not for him. By the time he had graduated and had a taste of working life for lawyers (less than a year), had become an established artist, tattoo and piercing, with its own study, but small enough that their excavations ongoing. And besides, most lawyers in Oaxaca do not earn the income level, providing a way of life of the middle class, at least by Western standards.

I believe that the current study Dermographics, in the heart of downtown Oaxaca, consists of:

• Reception of a long desk and computers, aquariums filled with tropical fish, shop windows, which is mostly jewelry piercing, an African wood floor sculptures and masks (masks and a few Mexican), a library full of album contains drawings and photographs, especially the tattoos, and two comfortable sofas where customers can surf the 'lists' in peace

• Similarly, decorated in the center of the room supply of cases, of course, is now filled with modern, commercial equipment and supplies, and a small laboratory adjacent to

• The back room, with chairs and a table of "exploitation" to help with tattoos and piercings

"Here in Oaxaca, we refer to ourselves as" artists, "says Kai." In the U.S. there is greater acceptance of art and those who are engaged in skill, so U.S. and other countries like Canada, is acceptable to use the term "tattoo artist. But we've seen in Oaxaca as a tattooist."

Kai & Colleagues Attend the Twelfth Annual Tattoo Festival in Oaxaca, Summer 2010

During the 3 ½ hour interview with the study of Kai, his friends and fellow tatuadores Mexico City, Daniel (tuna), Larios and his girlfriend, Angelica (Angy) de la Mora, were the work shop and the other for serve our customers, while some of the time, Kai was out running errands.

The tuna was a tatuador in 12 years began to make tattoos Angy only a year ago when she started living with tuna. Together, they opened a store called Toltec capital of the nation. Before Tun had tattoos for clients in other studies. It was introduced to trade for having his body tattooed. Angy learned the skill of tuna.

But to learn to be a tattoo artist was a natural Angy. She already had a degree in fine arts at a university in Chihuahua, and has participated in several group exhibitions of traditional art. "But it's easier to make a living doing tattoos as an artist," says Angy. Unlike Angy and Kai, most tattoo artist in Mexico do not have the advanced training of career options.

Angy tuna and had come to Oaxaca to participate in the Twelfth Annual Tattoo Fest, held August 21 and 22, 2010, just days before. Kai is one of the three organizers of festivals, and was on the ground floor of the concept, when the party was held in 1998. "Until this year the event was called Tattoo Expo," says Kai. "We decided to change the name to attract more foreigners. But in the early years, organized the exhibition to meet and exchange ideas, improve access to modern equipment and supplies, and raise awareness of the Oaxacan community, so we hope that there is greater acceptance of what we were doing. Now, the objectives and functions of the events are much larger, since we are on track to achieve our objectives faster. "

The success of Oaxaca Tattoo Fest 2010 was evident from the crowd (hundreds of all assessments), and sales. Tuna and Angy between them is over 11 tattoos for two days. "I found a fair for the last four or five years," tuna ", but this is the first year that I can truly say that it was worth my while, profit-wise, to come to Oaxaca. You know I had to close my shop here in Mexico City. I think this finally proves a turning point. "

This year, there were about thirty stands, about a dozen who are dedicated to tattoos. During a visit to an hour on Sunday, while each tattoo artist was busy working - and in many cases, there were spectators in the queue waiting their turn.

Many suppliers in other parts of Mexico to participate. They met in Oaxaca not only tattoos and piercings, but they also sell a wide variety of related materials, including:

• tattoo and piercing equipment, supplies and accessories

• CDs, DVDs and posters with themes of all alternatives (both Bob Marley and Alice Cooper live in Oaxaca)

• body piercing, and other personal ornaments, masks, wrestling, and clothing, custom painted in a while-u-wait.

The event was much more than a sales opportunity for retailers, however. It is an opportunity for the company to promote their industry, source of the state of the art equipment and supplies imported contrary (tattoo artist, as many do not travel to Mexico often and most imported machines, needles and paintings come first in Mexico City), and tattoo and piercing collectors entertain fans and onlookers, all under one roof, the Hall House in front of the Oaxaca market reputation Supplies.

As Kai says, seems to be three classes of people in Oaxaca, and presumably in other countries, who receive tattoos:

• The colecionista which usually ends up filling most of his body, trying to decorate with the largest variety of designs as possible, or with a certain class of design and art (ie, demons, pre-Hispanic figurines, animals, famous faces), often try to do the work by several tatuador over different states and countries, if possible

• The fan who wants some strategically placed tattoos on body parts

• A person who wishes occasionally one or two tattoos for self-expression or some kind of statement, after seeing a tattoo that he or she likes, whether a celebrity, a friend or a stranger on the street, or opt to make a specific design, a logo tattoo your favorite sports team illustrates this type of work

It is reminiscent of other hobbies and interests. Human nature remains the same. The first category is an obsession for collecting, as in a class of salt and pepper shakers antiques, folk arts, weights, and so on. The other is a passion that sets limits, deliberately or unconsciously, based on personality traits. The third is the selective reflection on this, whatever the product, hold a certain interest, often unstable, but long enough to result in a purchase or two.

Two years of celebration of all that is still a bit 'to keep the counter-culture of Oaxaca was:

• Live entertainment seven of which were mainly reggae and rock bands and belly dancers and other choreographers presentations

• An open-air restaurant serving fortune beer, soft drinks and real grilled burgers

• round tables and forums, methods of themes to promote the reputation of this alternative form of art in Oaxaca and process to mitigate the health and safety standards by adopting the U.S. model

Problems that affect the health and safety of the Trade Tattoo & Body Piercing in Oaxaca, Mexico

Throughout the U.S. there are regulations on health and safety requirements for tattoo and piercing is not the case in Oaxaca, but it is a hot topic around the tattoo and piercing of the Mexican community. The word "Norma" is constantly bandied about. The tattoo tatuador Fest, and especially Kai Tun and Angy, makes a point indicates that most of the industry to follow U.S. standards of health, safety and hygiene. According to Tun, the UK has the highest, all-encompassing legislation on tattooing and body piercing, which he considers a good thing.

It seems that almost all tatuadores are sensitive to the influence of transport authorities, even in the absence of specific laws tattoo and piercing. Oaxaca, the Secretaria de Salud (Ministry of Health), who actually carry out spot checks studios, more or less like the restaurants in Oaxaca. He has the ability to close the restaurant, inn or Comedor. And the same goes for the Tattoo Studio.

The real or perceived threat of incarceration can be a positive role in tattoo and piercing community. Although Oaxaca inquisitorial Napoleonic legal code that evolves slowly (oral trials came to Oaxaca in 2007, although for the most heinous crimes), the Attorney General still has the right of criminal suspects in jail almost any statute, law or regulation, where an injury results. No specific laws related to tattooing and piercing, perhaps Oaxaca current legal system, as their hands up as it might seem, an important function for the public to purchase tattoo. It certainly seems that to maintain the industry's control.